Key Points
Asbestos-containing material discovered at Hanzomon Station on August 12.
Service suspended between Shibuya and Kudanshita stations from morning until 7:20 PM.
Approximately 12-hour closure disrupted peak commute hours.
Full service resumed same day after containment work completed.
Tokyo Metro shut down the Hanzomon Line between Shibuya and Kudanshita stations on August 12 after workers discovered asbestos-containing material at Hanzomon Station. The operator suspended service from the first train of the day and restored full operations by 7:20 PM. The discovery forced thousands of commuters to seek alternate routes during the morning rush.
What happened at Hanzomon Station
Workers found asbestos-containing material at Hanzomon Station on August 12. Tokyo Metro immediately halted service on the affected section and began containment work. The suspension lasted approximately 12 hours, affecting the line’s busiest commute period.
Service suspension and commuter impact
The Hanzomon Line stopped running between Shibuya Station and Kudanshita Station from the start of service. Commuters faced delays and crowding on alternate routes. Tokyo Metro had initially warned the line might remain closed all day, but crews completed the necessary measures faster than expected.
Full service restored by evening
Tokyo Metro announced full service resumption around 7:20 PM on August 12. The operator did not disclose the exact nature of the asbestos-containing material or its location within the station. No injuries or health incidents were reported during the suspension.
Final Thoughts
The brief suspension disrupted morning commutes for thousands but resolved by evening. Tokyo Metro’s quick response prevented an all-day closure, though the discovery raises questions about aging infrastructure maintenance across the transit system.
FAQs
Asbestos-containing material was found at Hanzomon Station, prompting the operator to suspend service for safety and containment work.
Service was suspended between Shibuya Station and Kudanshita Station from early morning until 7:20 PM on August 12.
The line was closed for approximately 12 hours, from the first train until 7:20 PM on August 12, 2026.
The news reports mention asbestos only at Hanzomon Station. Tokyo Metro has not disclosed findings at other locations on the line.
Disclaimer:
The content shared by Meyka AI PTY LTD is solely for research and informational purposes. Meyka is not a financial advisory service, and the information provided should not be considered investment or trading advice.
About Author

Huzaifa Zahoor
Co FounderHuzaifa Zahoor is the engineer who built Meyka. He has spent years writing Python, training AI models, and building data pipelines specifically for financial markets. His technical articles have reached over 30,000 readers on Medium, so he knows how to make complex things easy to follow. If this article touches on how the tools work, he is the person who actually built them.
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