[5] On 10 September 2014, JR Hokkaido announced that it was terminating development and production of further trains following the completion of one three-car set built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

[5] The decision was made following reassessments of priorities by JR Hokkaido, with a shift away from focusing on increasing operating speeds to reduce journey time, with a greater focus on safety and maintenance costs through standardization of its diesel fleet.

[5] The three-car trainset was delivered from Kawasaki Heavy Industries factory in Kobe to JR Hokkaido's Naebo Works in September 2014.

[4] After undergoing low-speed testing within the confines of Naebo Works, the set was first test-run on the Hakodate Main Line on 31 October 2014.

[6] Following the cancellation of further production, JR Hokkaido initially considered the possibility of converting the three-car trainset for use as a track and overhead wire inspection train.