JR keeps station open

[kvp]

Considering it started with a news item that is either true or not (one article tells it as an interesting story, the other claims it's not true) and we've seen more important statations with higher traffic closed or converted to unmanned ones by JR Hokkaido, it seems natural to talk about the causes of depopulation in Japan and it's not too far to mention various non japanese solutions to the same problem. 

 

On the other hand, it seems to me that nobody could find any more evidence or counter evidence about the actual situation mentioned in the first post. It's rather hard to talk about something specific when you have almost no information about it.

[Kabutoni]

I was actually going for cultural references here, but it boils down to the same thing: if you don't know what you're talking about, stop talking.

[katoftw]

Well, Straits Times finally opened our eyes to the fact that this rumour was completely a HOAX (yes, a hoax). This would explains us about the real fact...

Not.

 

They say she takes the train from Kyu-Shirataki Station.  Guess what?  The photos of the girl waiting while the Kiha 40 approaches is Kyu-Shirataki Station.  OR the girl crossing at the platform end is also Kyu-Shirataki Station.

 

I think this is more a case of incorrect names and photos being used in the original article.  Of the seven photos used in the original article.  There are 2 stations shown.  I think the Strait-times just trying to get their 15 minute of fame trying to defunct the original article.  Or are completely unable to information gather.  I spent 5 minutes on google and figured out what went all wrong.

 

The original article was poor journalism.  And Hoax article was even poorer journalism.  And I have no idea why the Hoax article referenced Miyazaki in any way.  The Hoax article is just an attention grab at best.

 

Here is the real station:- http://www.railwaystation.jp/kyushirataki.html  And by the timetable on the wall in the photos.  There is only 2 trains all day.

Edited January 12, 2016 by katoftw

[katoftw]

Judging by some recent photos.  It looks like JRH just did the minimum to maintain the station for her.

 

[katoftw]

ding ding ding.  found this on google:- http://www.citylab.com/commute/2016/01/japan-keeps-this-defunct-train-station-running-for-just-one-passenger/423273/

 

Japan Keeps This Train Station Running for Just One Regular Passenger

Trains here make only a few stops—when a lone high-school student leaves for school, and when class is over.

• LINDA POON
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• @linpoonsays
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• Jan 8, 2016 
• 199 Comments

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For years, there’s been just one passenger who regularly waits at the Kyu-Shirataki* train station, on the island of Hokkaido, Japan: A high-school girl, on her way to class. Trains stops there only a few times a day—once to pick up the girl for school and a few times after the school day is over.

It sounds like a Hayao Miyazaki film. But, according to CCTV News, Japan Railways—the group that operates the country’s railway network—has kept the underused station open for years for a good reason.

Ridership at the Kyu-Shirataki station and a few neighboring ones had dramatically fallen because of the remote location, and freight service had ended there as well. But students depend on the train for transit, and parents asked that the company keep the station open for their children. Japan Railwayswill keep operating the station until March, when the fiscal year ends—and when this teen graduates, according to the Asahi Shimbun.*

People are tipping their hats to the Japanese government for making education a top priority. “Why should I not want to die for a country like this when the government is ready to go an extra mile just for me,” one commenter wrote on CCTV’s Facebook page. “This is the meaning of good governance penetrating right to the grassroot level. Every citizen matters. No Child left behind!”

Others, like the creator behind this YouTube video, grieve the struggling railways of rural Japan. With the country’s record-low birthrate, aging population, and the threat of losing a third of its population by 2060, Japan faces a number of crises including a surplus of vacant housing and a shrinking workforce. The nation’s railroad system is being hit by these shifts.

Japan’s impressively efficient high-speed rails have continued to expand to the outskirts of the country, rendering many of Japan’s older, low-tech railways obsolete. Kyu-Shirataki station, for example, sits in the town of Engaru in a rural part of Hokkaido, which lost at least 20 rail lines in the past few decades,according to Fortune.

But if this story of a young girl and her special connection to the Kyu-Shirataki station is any indicator, Japan’s disappearing rural railroads will be remembered for their service to even the most remote parts of the country.

*CORRECTION: This post has been updated to reflect that Japan Railways decided three years ago to keep the station open until the girl graduates, and that the closure will coincide with the end of the company’s fiscal year. The post also previously misidentified the Kyu-Shirataki as Kami-Shirataki station.

[railsquid]

Err, that's the story linked on the original post. It does reference this Asahi Shinbun article: http://www.asahi.com/articles/DA3S11538078.html but it requires free registration to read most of it and I'm not in the mood.

[katoftw]

http://www.asahi.com/articles/DA3S11538078.html

[katoftw]

Damn it.  Could've just clicked the original linked article.  Can I get my 5 minutes of googling back? haha

[katoftw]

It is interesting that the original Asahi feature doesn't have any Kami-Shirataki photos.  Just 4 photos of the correct station and the girl.  But by the time CCTV have got to it.  There are incorrect photos added.

[kvp]

Ok, actually the original article has a photo of the timetable and we can see 3 return trips in the afternoon/evening. This is in line with the 2nd article that said the chinese text was bogus, stating the 3 return services. Now the question is that they also say more than 10 kids are on the same route, which can't be checked from what is publicly available of the original article. (if it mentions anything like that at all)

A Taiwan Apple Daily report said that the girl featured in the story does take the train every day, but the year-three student takes it from Kyu-Shirataki Station, instead of the Kami-Shirataki Station, along with more than 10 schoolmates at 7.15am. That is the only train in the morning.
On their way home, they have a choice of three trains, with one as late as 7.25pm.

 

Sadly my google translate skills are not enough to get this story straight, but imho it's possible that the other children on this route are getting on/off at other stations that will be kept open (at least until they graduate too). This would explain the 3 return services as different schools can have different finishing times.

 

Could someone with actual knowledge of japanese check if this local school train service will be kept operational after the timetable change? (also there should be an annual passenger report for each station / service somewhere, which could in theory help locate the home stations of any other children)

[velotrain]

I'm going to assume, you are joking here. If not, the answer is pretty simple: Japan has its own culture and by replacing japanese people and culture with a different one, you won't save it. Unused houses and not enough workers are no reason to destroy your own civilisation and culture.

 

I wasn't joking.  My understanding is that this is the major reason why Germany is welcoming refugees - an aging population and a shrinking workforce.  That's also why many in America, especially business, welcome Mexican and other Latino immigrants - they're often willing to take the lower end jobs that native Americans aren't willing to do.  Much of the Western world faces the issue of lower birth rates, while some ethnic groups are known for large families.

 

I hadn't realized that Japan has consciously made a decision to downsize.  I well realize the social issues of what I mentioned, but it was in direct response to what was stated as an equally difficult social problem.

[kvp]

German politicians and global businessman may wanted to achive what you said but doing so would wipe out the german culture along with the native population. The reason is that the number of liberal jihadists are rather low. :)

 

Japan doesn't want the srinking population but they would rather burn the land than allow other nations to take it. A rather understandable approach. On the other hand they have to come up with a way to keep it if the population continues to fall.

[Kabutoni]

I hadn't realized that Japan has consciously made a decision to downsize.

Me neither. I'd like to see evidence of this, since I only see desperate attempts of the government to increase the population here through stimulating childbirth and softening immigration policies. I'm sure one of our geopolitical experts here can provide us with some credible evidence.

[kvp]

Ok, seems to be a misunderstanding here. Japan choose to struggle with a declining population instead of letting millions of chinese and other immigrants in. Some politicians might want immigration but imho most japanese don't. It's like selling your country and the long term survival of your culture for short term money.

 

ps: i'm aware of the chinese and korean groups in Japan and even some filipinos, but i have an impression most native japanese people want them outside along with the US troops...

[cteno4]

Hey guys lets steer this back to the trains topic, we are getting in a little to deep into politics and such for the forum. I know everyone wants one last say in the political discussion (and never end!) but no more.

 

Thank

 

jeff

[Mudkip Orange]

We oughtta split this into a thread in Off Topic. Immigration and family policy in modern economies is a fascinating topic, and we've got members that hail from a wide range of countries pursuing vastly different strategies.

[cteno4]

Yes very interesting, but the forum owners don't want things getting to heavy into politics even in the off topic as it can spin out of control fast and tempers flare. This while interesting and topical to trains in Japan can swiftly decent into politics.

 

Thanks

 

Jeff

[Fasubkhanali (Ali)]

So can someone tell me in detail about this case? Conclude it, please.

[cteno4]

Ali,

 

I have not heard of a real resolution article on this from japan. perhaps someone in japan on the forum has seen something and can report.

 

it looks like there was some wrong and misinterpretation of facts to begin with, then some romanticizing of it all (fuzzy kitten/puppy stories get shared a lot), and then some telephone game distortion as it spread virally thru world news services. It looks like the service was going to be closed and not set on the girls school graduation.

 

a couple i saw were amazed that japan did some rail schedules around school schedules, but thats not uncommon in japan as lots of kids ride the train so adjusting schedules around ridership is normal for well run railroads. so i think some of this was reporters reporting on rail issues that dont really know anything about rail or use it themselves, let alone how integral rail is to the culture of japan.

 

there is now a correction on the original article posted here saying that the decision three years ago to keep it open until the student graduates but the march date was just the end of the company's fascial year for them.also they got the station wrong.

 

things going viral can quickly become garbled these days!

 

jeff

[railsquid]

I haven't seen any reporting on this on TV here, though my viewing is not necessarily comprehensive.

 

This blog post is apparently from someone living in the location complaining about sudden press interest and in particular the student in question being hassled for photos.

[Socimi]

In Japan you keep open a small station in the middle of nowhere for only one person.

 

In italy you close entire lines with an average ridership of daily 150 passengers.