| Re: Learning from overseas Posted by stuving at 11:00, 20th August 2025 |     |
From Facebook
In Japan, punctuality is taken seriously, especially for trains that are known for running almost exactly on time. To ensure fairness for commuters, railway companies issue official “train delay certificates” — known as chien shōmei-sho — whenever a train is late beyond a certain threshold, often just a few minutes.
These certificates can be printed at station offices, collected from staff, or downloaded from official railway websites. Students use them to explain late arrivals at school, avoiding penalties for something beyond their control. Office workers present them to employers as proof, preventing misunderstandings or accusations of tardiness.
The system reflects Japan’s high expectations for reliability in public transport and the value placed on accountability. Even small delays are taken seriously, with companies publicly acknowledging the disruption. By providing clear evidence of the cause, the certificates maintain trust between commuters, schools, and workplaces.
This practice, while rare elsewhere, has become a symbol of Japan’s commitment to precision, responsibility, and mutual respect in everyday life.
These certificates can be printed at station offices, collected from staff, or downloaded from official railway websites. Students use them to explain late arrivals at school, avoiding penalties for something beyond their control. Office workers present them to employers as proof, preventing misunderstandings or accusations of tardiness.
The system reflects Japan’s high expectations for reliability in public transport and the value placed on accountability. Even small delays are taken seriously, with companies publicly acknowledging the disruption. By providing clear evidence of the cause, the certificates maintain trust between commuters, schools, and workplaces.
This practice, while rare elsewhere, has become a symbol of Japan’s commitment to precision, responsibility, and mutual respect in everyday life.
Similar certificates are also made available in France. SNCF call it a "justificatif de retard ou de suppression", and RATP (as well as SNCB) do the same but call it an "attestation...". They used to be handed out at stations, and perhaps still are, but now the usual process is via an on-line excuse generator. SNCF also provide a "bulletin de retard" for each line listing the delays (but not cancellations) the last few days, telling you what officially happened. These are not entirely accurate!
| Learning from overseas Posted by grahame at 08:23, 20th August 2025 | |
From Facebook
In Japan, punctuality is taken seriously, especially for trains that are known for running almost exactly on time. To ensure fairness for commuters, railway companies issue official “train delay certificates” — known as chien shōmei-sho — whenever a train is late beyond a certain threshold, often just a few minutes.
These certificates can be printed at station offices, collected from staff, or downloaded from official railway websites. Students use them to explain late arrivals at school, avoiding penalties for something beyond their control. Office workers present them to employers as proof, preventing misunderstandings or accusations of tardiness.
The system reflects Japan’s high expectations for reliability in public transport and the value placed on accountability. Even small delays are taken seriously, with companies publicly acknowledging the disruption. By providing clear evidence of the cause, the certificates maintain trust between commuters, schools, and workplaces.
This practice, while rare elsewhere, has become a symbol of Japan’s commitment to precision, responsibility, and mutual respect in everyday life.
These certificates can be printed at station offices, collected from staff, or downloaded from official railway websites. Students use them to explain late arrivals at school, avoiding penalties for something beyond their control. Office workers present them to employers as proof, preventing misunderstandings or accusations of tardiness.
The system reflects Japan’s high expectations for reliability in public transport and the value placed on accountability. Even small delays are taken seriously, with companies publicly acknowledging the disruption. By providing clear evidence of the cause, the certificates maintain trust between commuters, schools, and workplaces.
This practice, while rare elsewhere, has become a symbol of Japan’s commitment to precision, responsibility, and mutual respect in everyday life.
