THE house and office of a politician critical of Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s controversial visit to a war shrine burned down yesterday.

The head of East Japan Railway Company apologised today for a fatal train crash that killed at least five people on Christmas Day, saying he took full responsibility for the incident.

Rescuers today continued the search for two passengers they fear may still be trapped under the wreckage of a train that jumped its tracks in northern Japan on Christmas Day, killing at least five people.

Police in Japan have confirmed that two people, both women, died after an express train derailed.

An express train was derailed today in northern Japan, injuring 16 people, but there were no deaths, a police official said.