Rail transport in Japan
| Japan | |||||
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| Operation | |||||
| Major operators | Japan Railways Group | ||||
| Statistics | |||||
| Ridership | 7.589 billion (2014) | ||||
| Passenger km | 260 billion (2014) | ||||
| System length | |||||
| Total | 30,625 km | ||||
| Electrified | 21,600 km | ||||
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Rail transport in Japan is a major means of passenger transport, especially for mass and high-speed travel between major cities and for commuter transport in urban areas. It is used relatively little for freight transport, accounting for just 0.84% of goods movement. The privatized network is highly efficient, requiring few subsidies and running with extreme punctuality, though since privatization, several unprofitable but socially valuable lines have been closed by operators.