The Deutsche Bahn is considered unreliable, while in Japan, more than 60 seconds are seen as a burden. The secret behind the high punctuality and reliability is called “Poka-Yoke.”
The Deutsche Bahn is known for its unreliability, and the company even admits that only two-thirds of all passengers reach their destination on time: According to official statistics, only 66.7% of all long-distance travelers reached their destination on time in August 2025.
In Japan, however, the delay of the local express trains, known as Shinkansen, is under one minute. This is reported by Süddeutsche Zeitung (possible paywall). The secret behind the high punctuality and reliability is called “Poka-Yoke,” in combination with sophisticated technology.
A Japanese term that translates to “error prevention”
What is behind the term? “Poka Yoke” is a Japanese term that translates to “error prevention” or “error proofing.” The concept was developed in the 1960s by Shigeo Shingo and involves technical or organizational measures that prevent the occurrence of errors from the outset or make them immediately visible in the process. The term consists of “poka” (accidental error) and “yokeru” (to avoid).
Poka Yoke includes, for example, control mechanisms and visual aids, such as the “Point-and-Speak-Calling” in Japanese railway operations (via christopherroosen.com): Employees speak, name, and indicate things and tasks they are doing. The pointing and calling requires a coordination of the brain, eyes, hands, mouth, and ears of the operator, which in turn is supposed to improve attention and significantly reduce the risk of errors. The goal is to prevent errors from occurring in the first place or, if they do occur, to detect and eliminate them immediately.
The Japanese have structured their railway systems and implemented processes to prevent human error from leading to delays. This is reported by, among others, the magazine JapanManifest.com. This also includes the use of technology to correct human errors:
- The Automatic Train Control (ATC) acts like a superintelligent co-pilot for the train driver. It constantly monitors the speed and position of the train, ensuring it always has the right speed.
- The Japanese railway system also utilizes GPS tracking to monitor each train in real time. This provides an overview of the entire system and allows for immediate recognition of congestion and the implementation of measures to ensure everything runs smoothly.
- Additionally, the Japanese use sophisticated data analysis and machine learning to optimize train schedules and predict potential disruptions.
- Moreover, the rail networks of local trains and express trains in Japan are strictly separated, so that the trains cannot hinder each other.
The combination of proactive planning and cutting-edge technology makes the railways in Japan very punctual.
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