A Japanese railway company has issued an official apology after one of its trains departed the station 25 seconds early.

The West Japan Railway Company’s apology came after one of its express trains left the platform at Notogawa station in central Japan at 7:11:35 a.m., instead of the scheduled 7:12 a.m., on May 11.

Japan's train operators are notoriously meticulous when it comes to arrival and departure times. Credit:Shutterstock

The train conductor misunderstood the departure time and closed the train doors ahead of schedule, according to the company’s press release.

The early departure didn’t affect any other travel schedules that day, but led to one person missing their train.