FREIGHT RAIL TRANSPORT IN JAPAN – NOT LESS EXCITING THAN PASSENGER ONES

Abstract

Japanese National Railways (JNR) has been privatized in 1987. As Kurosaki [45] stated, during the era of JNR, it accumulated heavy debts, especially in the freight operating area as railways in Japan are passenger-dominated. The conglomerate of Japanese domestic railway operators consists of 6 passenger companies and the seventh one is dedicated to freight operations and transport. Passenger rail transport companies are divided regionally and certainly operate passengers’ trains only. These companies are Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido), East Japan Railway Company (JR East), West Japan Railway Company (JR West), Central Japan Railway Company (JR Tokai), Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku), Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) and additionally Shinkansen Holding Corporation for high-speed rail transport [40]. By the way, it also includes the Railway Communication Company, Rail Information Systems Company, Railway Technical Research Institute, and Japanese National Railways Settlement Corporation [41]. Each of these transportation companies has in disposal their infrastructure and facilities in contrast to Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight), the company which operates freight transport. According to [45], JR Freight forms a vertically separated structure, while all the JR passenger companies comprise a vertically integrated structure. JR Freights consists of 6 branches: Kyushu, Kansai, Tokai, Kanto, Tohoku, Hokkaido [40]. JR Freights rents infrastructure from other companies [45], which makes freight transport dependent on time windows between passengers’ transport (more information related to that topic is mentioned hereafter). It does not have own its tracks; however, it has in disposal its own stations, yards, and facilities for freight trains. JR Freights, as many other companies in Japan (e.g. Shizutetsu, Suzuyo – sample companies are mentioned after discussions on the topic during grant in Japan with Prof. Koichi Shintani – private correspondence) is carrying about several different kinds of business, i.e. freight services, warehousing, car park operation, advertising, indemnity and other non-life insurance agency services, vehicle services, general civil engineering and construction design, project execution and management, incidental and related business operations