Shinkansen bullet train services in northeastern Japan will return to normal schedule on May 13. Train operations have continued to be affected after a strong earthquake hit the region on March 16.

The magnitude 7.4 quake damaged some sections of the Tohoku Shinkansen line and derailed a train, halting the bullet train operations along parts of the line.

After almost a month, East Japan Railway Company restarted the bullet train operations across the entire line on April 14. But it reduced the number of trains and ran them at slower speeds on some sections for safety reasons.

On Wednesday, the operator announced the resumption of the normal schedule starting from the middle of next month. It cited progress in restoration work and securing safety.

The company says trains will run slower only where the derailment occurred, but the speed reduction there will not affect the overall timetable.

The Akita, Yamagata and Hokkaido Shinkansen train services that are connected to the Tohoku Shinkansen line have also been operating on provisional schedules. But they will also return to normal services from May 13.