Will it be impossible for travelers to visit local Japan in 10 years?(1)
Will it be impossible for travelers to visit local Japan in 10 years?(1) Table of Contents 1: Introduction 2: Current status of regional rail operators 3: Ageing rolling stock and infrastructure of regional rail operators 4: Discontinued railway lines 1: Introduction In our four-part series, we describe the plight of regional rail operators and passenger bus operators on the main routes for travel to rural areas of Japan. Most operators are losing money, and if the current situation continues, the closure of rail and bus routes may accelerate and make it impossible to travel to rural areas of Japan by public transport. The first article discusses regional railways, the second passenger buses, the third accessibility of regional railway stations, and the fourth measures to promote travel to the regions. 2: Current status of regional rail operators Regional railways refer to railway lines other than Shinkansen, conventional main lines, and urban railways. Of these, small and medium-sized private railways and semi-public corporations are referred to as regional railway operators, of which there were 95 as of 1 April 2022.76 of the 95 companies had operating losses in the railway track industry in FY 2019. The proportion of losses is