Japan Railway
Japan Railway, more commonly called JR, is a collective term for former Japanese national, but devided and privatized seven railway companies. It is severely distinguished from genuine private railways in Japan.They are:
- JR Hokkaido or Hokkaido Railway Company (北海道旅客鉄道 or JR北海道)
- JR Higashi Nihon or East Japan Railway Company (東日本旅客鉄道 or JR東日本)
- JR Tokai or Central Japan Railway Company (東海旅客鉄道 or JR東海)
- JR Nishi Nihon or West Japan Railway Company (西日本旅客鉄道 or JR西日本)
- JR Shikoku or Shikoku Railway Company (四国旅客鉄道 or JR四国)
- JR Kyushu or Kyushu Railway Company (九州旅客鉄道 or JR九州)
- JR Kamotsu or Japan Freight Railway Company (日本貨物鉄道 or JR貨物)
Here is some history of the Japan Railway, according to information provided by the Japan Railways Technical Research Institute ( http://www.rtri.or.jp/japanrail/JapanRail_E.html ):
October 14, 1872 - Opening ceremony at both Shimbashi (now Shiodome) and Yokohama (now Sakuragicho)
October 1, 1907 - 17 private railways taken over by the government
December 20, 1914 - Opening of Tokyo Station
November 1, 1925 - Inauguration of the Yamanote Loop Line
December 30, 1927 - Inauguration of Tokyo subway between Asakusa and Ueno
June 1 1949 - Japanese National Railways organized
April 1, 1987 - Kokutetsu (Lit. Japanese National Railways; 国鉄 or 日本国有鉄道) was privatized and split into 11 companies.
See also: List of railway companies in Japan, Railroad, Private railroad, Shinkansen, Transportation in JapanHistory