Abstract
In Japan, railway planning and operation is mainly carried out by private railway companies, and local governments are not responsible for such policies. Therefore, the profitability of a private business is emphasized, and services continue to decline on unprofitable local railway lines. It has also led to the expansion of low-density urban structures that depend on automobiles. Such changes in the urban structure are likely to bring a great burden in the future, such as an increase in maintenance costs for urban public facilities. With that in mind, Toyama City decided to make a major shift in the idea of urban development from around 2005, aiming to “create a compact city centered on public transportation.” As a method, we decided to actively promote the improvement of railway convenience. In this research, the authors who have actually worked on these projects will summarize the process leading up to such a policy, and the results after that. In addition, based on the knowledge gained in the process, we propose some ideas for future railway policies in Japan.
