脱線から１９年、犠牲者追悼　ＪＲ西社長「取り返しつかない」―慰霊式で安全誓う・福知山線事故

　乗客１０６人と運転士が死亡し、５６２人が重軽傷を負ったＪＲ福知山線脱線事故は２５日、発生から１９年を迎えた。兵庫県尼崎市の事故現場に整備された慰霊施設「祈りの杜（もり）」でＪＲ西日本主催の追悼慰霊式が開かれ、遺族らが犠牲者を悼んだ。
　ＪＲ西の長谷川一明社長らは慰霊式に先立ち、事故発生時刻の午前９時１８分に黙とうをささげた。
　式には遺族や負傷者ら３２６人が参列した。長谷川社長は「取り返しのつかない事故を引き起こしてしまった」と改めて謝罪した上で、「安全は経営の根幹。ハードとソフトの両面で改善を継続し、安全性の向上に努める」と再発防止に向けた決意を述べた。（2024/04/25-12:04）

A ceremony was held Thursday to remember more than 100 victims of a commuter train crash that happened on the Fukuchiyama Line in western Japan exactly 19 years ago.
   Bereaved relatives and others, including those injured in the crash, paid tribute to the victims at the ceremony held by West Japan Railway Co., or JR West, at a memorial facility built at the site of the accident in the city of Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture.
   Ahead of the ceremony, JR West President Kazuaki Hasegawa and other officials of the operator of the train line observed a moment of silence at 9:18 a.m., the time of the crash, which killed 106 passengers and injured 562 others.
   Hasegawa offered an apology at the ceremony, attended by 326 people, saying, "We caused an irreversible accident." He added: "Safety is the foundation of our business management. We will boost safety (of our railway services) by continuing efforts to make both tangible and intangible improvements."
   During the morning rush hour on April 25, 2005, the seven-car rapid train entered a curve between Tsukaguchi and Amagasaki stations on the Fukuchiyama Line at a speed far exceeding the limit for the section. The commuter train derailed as a result, and the first two cars crashed into a condominium building along the line. The driver of the train also died in the accident.