Are trains in Japan automated?

Of the five degrees of automation, Grade 4, in which a train is automatically controlled without staff on board, is the highest. The Yurikamome line, Tokyo's first fully automated transit system connecting Shimbashi to Toyosu via the artificial island of Odaiba, runs without staff on board.



As of 2026, many of Japan's urban transit lines—such as the Yurikamome in Tokyo and the Port Liner in Kobe—are fully automated and operate without drivers. However, the famous Shinkansen (bullet trains) and most major commuter lines still operate with a driver in the cockpit. Japan is currently in an aggressive transition phase; East Japan Railway (JR East) has been conducting high-speed automated trials and aims to introduce GoA2 level automation (automated driving with a driver present for emergencies) on the Joetsu Shinkansen by 2028-2029, with fully unmanned shunting already beginning in some depots. The move toward automation is primarily driven by Japan's aging population and projected labor shortages. So, while you will encounter many "driverless" trains on local rubber-tired metros, the high-speed rail network is currently in the process of a multi-year rollout toward a more autonomous future.

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