Specified local lines


The specified local lines were the railway lines specified by Japanese National Railways under the 1980 JNR Reconstruction Act to be closed. All of 83 lines were closed and substituted by buses or transferred to other railway operators between 1983 and 1990.

Background

In 1972, when Kakuei Tanaka became the prime minister, all efforts to close the remaining lines of the 83 Deficit Lines movement were cancelled. However by the 1980s those remaining lines were relisted in the Specified local lines movement. Additionally, the effects of the 1973 oil crisis compounded the debt situation of the JNR in the form of rising fuel costs. The 1970s and 1980s also saw a rise in private automobiles and commercial aviation, leading to railroads across the country having a lower share across major modes of transport.

Selection

Article 8 of the JNR Reconstruction Act directed JNR to specify unprofitable lines that should be replaced by bus operations based on certain criteria set by a Cabinet Order.
However, even if Units of transportation measurement were below 4000 per day, these 51 sections which met the following requirements were exempt from being decommissioned.
  1. The amount of passengers at peak time is over 1000 per hour in one direction.
  2. There is a lack of replacement roads.
  3. Replacement roads cannot be used during the winter over 10 days due to snow.
  4. The average length of usage is over 30km, and the units of transportation measurement is over 1000 per day.
  5. If the line is being used for cargo transportation, the line was exempt if the line transported if units of transportation measurement for cargo exceeded 4000t of cargo transported per day.
JNR selected 83 lines in three phases.

List of lines

Operators in parentheses succeeded the railway operation of the lines. Lines not followed by parentheses were substituted by buses.

First phase

Second phase

Third phase