Deficit 83 Lines

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Deficit 83 Lines (赤字83線, Akaji-Hachijyusansen) is a list of railway lines owned by Japanese National Railways (JNR) proposed for abolishment or transferring to third sector companies as it has fulfilled its goals in 1968.^[1][2]

The criteria for a railway line being listed are the following:^[3]

• The length of the track is under 100 kilometers, and the function seen from the line is small, and there is a small population along the tracks.
• The one-way transportation volume of regular customers is less than 3,000 people, and the daily departure and arrival of cargo is within 600 tons.
• The transportation volume growth is lower than that of competing transportation institutions, and both passengers and cargo are decreasing.

The idea to close lines and replace them with bus services that cost less to operate was formulated as early as 1968.^[4]

By these criteria, 83 railway lines of 2,590 km (1,610 mi) in length have been listed, and the JNR began talks with the local municipalities to close the lines. However, due to furious protests from the local residents, out of the 83 lines, before 1972 only 11 of those listed were closed, i.e. 116 km (72 mi).^[5][4]

However, the Japan Railway Construction Public Corporation continued to build local lines, and most of the 11 lines opened during the talks were generating negative income, resulting in no improvements from the closure of the 11 lines.^[1]

In 1972, when Kakuei Tanaka became the prime minister, all efforts to close the remaining lines were cancelled.^[6] However, most of the lines that continued service after being listed as 83 deficit lines were abolished by Specified local lines movement.^[7]

This table shows the current status of the lines.^[7][1]

• Specified local lines
• Beeching cuts

• Ishino, Tetsu; et al., eds. (1998). 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory – JNR/JR] (in Japanese). Vol. I. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. ISBN 4-533-02980-9.
• Ishino, Tetsu; et al., eds. (1998). 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory – JNR/JR] (in Japanese). Vol. II. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. ISBN 4-533-02980-9.
• Imashiro, Mitsuhide; Ishikawa, Tatsujiro (1998). The Privatization of Japanese National Railways. Bloomsbury Publishing Co. (published 2012). ISBN 9781780939278.