Published on, Aug. 22 -- August 22, 2025 2:22 PM

A Japanese luxury sleeper train operator has canceled an upcoming journey after discovering that some crew members had been drinking excessively under the guise of "quality control" for several years. The announcement came from JR East's subsidiary, JR East View Tourism and Sales, which manages the Train Suite Shiki-shima. Officials admitted the misconduct seriously undermines trust and is unacceptable for staff responsible for guest experiences on the train.

The drinking issue reportedly began around September 2022 and involved crew members consuming alcohol beyond permitted limits during routine testing of onboard wine and beverages. JR East said this behaviour violated professional sta...