Some of these include the cleanliness and safety of Japanese trains. It is considered bad etiquette to eat on trains, meaning there is no food packaging or food waste, and littering is extremely rare. The trains are also safe to ride, regardless of the time of day or train line.

Japanese trains are globally recognized as the gold standard for transportation safety and have maintained an extraordinary record through 2026. The most famous example is the Shinkansen (Bullet Train), which has operated since 1964 with zero passenger fatalities resulting from derailments or collisions, despite transporting billions of people over decades. This is achieved through a multi-layered safety system that includes Automatic Train Control (ATC), which prevents trains from exceeding safe speeds or getting too close to each other. Japan’s rail network is also uniquely engineered for a high-seismic environment; trains are equipped with an Early Earthquake Detection System that can automatically cut power and apply emergency brakes seconds before the major tremors hit. Beyond technical safety, the trains are renowned for personal security; theft and violent crime are nearly non-existent on the network, and the "Women-Only" carriages during rush hour provide an extra layer of comfort. In 2026, Japan continues to rank #1 globally for transportation safety in traveler sentiment surveys, making it the safest rail ecosystem in the world.