Following the first announcement by JR West of the balance of local routes, where the number of users is particularly low, Governor Maruyama of Shimane Prefecture said that if the line were to be discontinued, there would be concern that the region would decline. We requested the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to provide financial support to JR West.
Governor Maruyama of Shimane Prefecture and executives of local governments along the JR Kisuki Line visited the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on the 22nd and handed a request to Deputy Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Nakayama.
According to this, although the income and expenditure ratio for each line section announced by JR West is in a difficult situation on the Kisuki line, there is concern that the area will decline if the line is discontinued.
For this reason, in order to maintain the local routes operated by JR, we are requesting the government to provide financial support to JR West, which is in a difficult business situation due to the influence of the new coronavirus.
We are also requesting that the current Railway Business Law, which allows railway operators to abolish railway lines at their discretion, be reviewed and that a system be established in which the national government examines the pros and cons of discontinuing railway lines.
After requesting, Governor Maruyama said, "Railways are the most reliable public transportation for high school students and the elderly who have returned their driver's licenses. The government should firmly support JR."