Formation of the modern transportation system in Japan in terms of the relation between trunk railway and private railway lines

Abstract

The author defines the modern transportation system in Japan as the transportation system of which the railway is the main component. It is commonly accepted on the basis of change in transport volume that with the nationalization of private trunk railways from 1906 to 1907, the modern transportation system in Japan was formed. But the author considers that transport co-ordination in the 1930s was another development, of equal importance to the nationalisation of the railways. This subject is re-examined with the method of historical geography on the basis of the location of railway turning points. Branch lines of private railways in Japan from 1882 to 1982 can be divided into six railway plans. The appearance and disappearance of Types A-a and A-b from among these six plans is considered. The author cites four cases - the Sano Railway, the Sanban Railway, the Hichiku Tramway and the Hokusei Railway - to show the process of formation of the modern Japanese transportation system. -from English summary