JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: In Japan, a rare train accident in Tokyo Wednesday killed four people and injured 33 others. CNN's Tokyo bureau chief, Marina Kamimura, reports.</s>MARINA KAMIMURA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tragedy struck at 9:01 in the morning, just as rush hour in the nation's capital was drawing to a close. Investigators say the last car of a train carrying a couple hundred passengers out of the city somehow derailed just as it came out of a tunnel for the above-ground portion of its journey. The car is believed to have skidded into an oncoming train packed with more than 1,000 commuters, ripping off its side, tearing apart seats, and sending people inside flying. Cars in both trains were heavily damaged. "Inside it was complete panic," says this passenger. "We didn't know what had happened and were just looking around for a way out." Emergency personnel worked feverishly for hours, transporting the injured to nearby hospitals, many hit by flying debris. More than 7 million commuters normally ride Tokyo subways during the day, a system renowned worldwide for its punctuality, efficiency and safety record. This particular line connects Tokyo with its sister city of Yokohama. After initial interruptions, the bulk of the line was operating as normal less than half a day after the accident. The company operating the trains apologized for the incident, which caused the first deaths due to a derailment in Japanese subway history. And both the operator and the Japanese government promised the public a thorough and quick investigation. Marina Kamimura, CNN, Tokyo.
Rare Train Derailment in Japan Kills Four, Injures 33