Japan’s first-ever freight-only Shinkansen train began commercial service on the Tohoku Shinkansen line on March 23.

All passenger seats were removed to allow for the transport of larger cargo volumes.

A vehicle equipped with autonomous driving technology is used to pull carts, making it easier to load and unload cargo.

The train was loaded with fresh foods such as scallops and boxed lunches at a train depot in the city of Morioka of Iwate Prefecture.

The freight-only shinkansen arrived at a Tokyo train depot in about four hours.

The move comes as the delivery industry grapples with a severe shortage of truck drivers.

The operator East Japan Railway is strengthening its freight transport services using Shinkansen and other trains.

The special bullet train will operate once a day on weekdays for the time being. East Japan Railway aims to expand these services to the Sendai and Niigata areas.