(1)Passenger Railway Companies and Freight Railway Company
On April 1, 1987, Japanese railways started a new age. Japanese National Railways, which had been the basic transportation means in our country for more than 100 years, put an end to its history and as to its passenger section, the management was divided and transferred to the private sector as six passenger railway companies (here in after referred to as "Passenger company") with the result that Hokkaido Railway Company, East Japan Railway Company, Central Japan Railway Company, West Japan Railway Company, Shikoku Railway Company and Kyushu Railway Company were established. As to the freight section, the management was transferred to the private sector separately from the passenger section and as a result Japan Freight Railway Company(hereinafter referred to as "Freight company") was established.
