INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Japan On Rails! We bring you views of Japan’s railways and history, travel, and imagery.

Japan’s railways are fast, highly efficient and cover the majority of the country, making this the transport mode of choice for most visitors. The first and most confusing aspect of Japan’s railway system (especially within large cities like Tokyo) that you will encounter is the overlap of several private railway networks with the JR network. Tokyo also has two separate metro systems to add to the confusion. Being aware of this one fact will substantially reduce the confusion you experience trying to understand railway maps and find your way around.

HISTORY

The term Kokuyū Tetsudō ”state-owned railway” originally referred to a network of railway lines operated by nationalized companies under the control of the Railway Institute following the nationalization in 1906 and 1907. Later, the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications took over control of the network. The ministries used the name Japanese Government Railways (JGR) to refer their network in English. During World War II, many JGR lines were dismantled to supply steel for the war effort.

In 1949, JGR was reorganized into a state-owned public corporation by a directive of the U.S. General HQ in Tokyo. The new corporation enjoyed many successes, including the 1964 inauguration of high-speed Shinkansen service. However, the network’s rapid expansion also pulled it further and further into debt as it took out huge loans to fund new capital projects.

By 1987, JNR’s debt was over ¥27 trillion ($280 billion at 2009 exchange rates) and the company was spending ¥147 for every ¥100 earned. That year, the network was privatized by an act of the Diet of Japan, and divided into several companies collectively called the Japan Railways Group (JR Group). Contemporary offspring of JNR include the East Japan Railway Company, West Japan Railway Company, and Central Japan Railway Company.

TIMELINE

• June 12, 1872: Provisional opening of Tokyo–Yokohama railway (Shinagawa Station–Yokohama Station)
• October 1, 1907: Completion of nationalization of 17 private railways under 1906 Railway Nationalization Act
• June 1, 1949: Japanese National Railways organized
• October 1, 1964: Inauguration of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen high-speed line
• April 1, 1987: Privatization of JNR, establishment of seven JR companies
• October 22, 1998: JNR Settlement Corporation was officially dissolved when all its debt was transferred to the Japan Railway Construction Public Corporation. By this time the debt has risen to ¥30 trillion ($310 billion in 2009 dollars). The debt was later incorporated into the national government’s general debt.