A Series 227 train stopped at Kure Station (November 2018) / Photo by Wei-Te Wong Source: Wikipedia
“We’d be in trouble if it disappeared! In trouble! In trouble! In trouble!”
The JR Kure Line, which runs right beside the scenic Seto Inland Sea, is currently facing a problem…
[Minoru Iida, General Manager of JR West Hiroshima Branch] “The section of the Kure Line from Mihara to Hiro has been added as a line with fewer than 2,000 passengers.” JR has added the Mihara-Hiro section of the JR Kure Line as a section that is not fully utilizing the characteristics of railways, which is “mass transport.” The financial situation over the past three years is “a deficit of approximately 1.37 billion yen.”
[Residents along the line] Q: Would you be in trouble if it disappeared? “We’d be in trouble if it disappeared! In trouble, in trouble, in trouble!” Residents along the line cannot hide their bewilderment!
[Professor Yusuke Kanda, Kure National College of Technology] “If nothing is done, the situation will undoubtedly become even more difficult.” Experts sound the alarm! What will happen!? We take a closer look at the current situation of deficit-ridden local lines in the prefecture. JR West Japan Announces “Transport Density” of Less Than 2,000 People on 4 Lines and 8 Sections in Hiroshima Prefecture: Railways continue to run alongside our daily lives. “Transport density” is an indicator that shows how many people use one kilometer of railway line per day. Last month, JR West Japan announced the financial status of 19 lines and 32 sections where the “transport density” was less than 2,000 people over the past three years. The total deficit for these lines is approximately 26.7 billion yen. In Hiroshima Prefecture alone, four lines and eight sections, including the Fukuen Line and Geibi Line, are operating at a loss.
[Target sections within Hiroshima Prefecture] “Fuchu to Shiomachi” “Bitchu-Kojiro to Tojo”, “Tojo to Bingo-Ochiai”, “Bingo-Ochiai to Bingo-Shobara”, “Bingo-Shobara to Miyoshi”, “Miyoshi to Shimofukawa” “Izumo-Yokota to Bingo-Ochiai” “Mihara to Hiro” Among these, the section between Tojo and Bingo-Ochiai on the JR Geibi Line has been identified as the least profitable. The operating ratio, which shows the cost required to earn 100 yen in revenue, is 9,945 yen, resulting in a profit margin of only 1%, indicating an extremely difficult financial situation. Most of the lines in the prefecture run through mountainous areas, but there are also some new lines that have been added this time. It is the JR Kure Line between Mihara and Hiro, which is at a crossroads with a deficit of approximately 1.37 billion yen. The Kure Line connects Mihara to Kaitaichi, but according to data for fiscal year 2023 released by JR, the “transport density” between Hiro and Kaitaichi exceeds 20,000 people, while the section between Mihara and Hiro is only 1,653 people, showing a huge difference in users… And the management situation is…
[Deficit: Approximately 1.37 billion yen] JR West Japan says that the transport density of the Kure Line may exceed 2,000 people and aims to implement effective measures, but what exactly are the challenges facing this line? What are the challenges of the JR Kure Line between Mihara and Hiro? Professor Yusuke Kanda of Kure National College of Technology, who studies urban development and public transportation, points out the challenges faced by deficit lines.
[Professor Yusuke Kanda, Kure National College of Technology] “We should take more seriously the fact that areas along the railway line are becoming less livable.” At JR Hiro Station, many people use it during rush hour when commuting to work and school, but as for use towards Mihara… [Users] Q: Do you use the train between Mihara and Hiro? “No.” Q: Why? “I don’t have any business there…” When you actually go to Tadanoumi Station in Takehara City, you can see tourists heading to Okunoshima, known as “Rabbit Island,” but there are few people.
[Local resident says] “Many people go to Okunoshima Island from Mihara to Tadanoumi, so there aren’t many people going towards Takehara, where most people get off at Tadanoumi. If there was no JR train, transportation would be difficult… Buses are expensive, so it would be hard to get there.” Currently, there are only a few trains, about one every hour to an hour and a half…
[Professor Yusuke Kanda of Kure National College of Technology says] “Looking at the population of Takehara City along the line, the population in 2020 was 24,000 to 25,000, but in 30 years, although this is just a prediction, it will be less than half. If nothing is done, it will undoubtedly become an even more difficult situation.” In addition to this population decline along the line, urban development is also a major challenge.
[Professor Yusuke Kanda, Kure National College of Technology] “Looking at the stations around the Kure Line, there are quite a few stations that are rather desolate, or rather, stations that are deserted even when you get off the train. In the long term, we need to take this opportunity to calmly consider how we will develop the towns around the stations.” He points out that considering policies with a broader perspective, including connections with transportation other than rail and tourism demand, is key to promoting ridership. JR Kure Line “Mihara to Hiro” section: Topographical problems How to eliminate deficits Furthermore, he says there are problems with the topography between the sea and mountains in the “Mihara to Hiro” section. There is a long section where a speed limit of 25 km/h is imposed in preparation for falling rocks and fallen trees, and it is said that inspection costs are incurred.
[Professor Yusuke Kanda, Kure National College of Technology] “The level of rail maintenance inevitably differs between sections with many users and sections with few users. In areas with few users, some kind of cost reduction has to be implemented.” Regarding eliminating the deficit, Professor Kanda said…
[Professor Yusuke Kanda, Kure National College of Technology] “I think we need an idea that will circulate the local economy more. It is important to look at things in terms of how much money was earned rather than how many people rode the train.” How did the municipalities along the line react to this announcement? So, how are the four municipalities that run between Mihara and Hiro reacting to this? All of the municipalities have had to accept the harsh situation… In particular, Kure City and Takehara City, which are only served by the Kure Line, were unable to hide their surprise through interviews, saying, “It is regrettable that ridership has decreased,” and “We knew it was low, but it is a shock and the damage is great.” What should the railway be like? However, JR West is a private company, so of course it cannot ignore the deficit. On the other hand, because it involves a highly public service, it cannot be immediately discontinued. That is precisely why it is necessary for each and every one of us, not just the residents along the line and the local governments, to consider what to do with lines that have seen a decline in ridership.
