一般社団法人 日本地下鉄協会
Japanese Subways
An Overview of Japanese Subway Systems

The Advent of the Subway in Japan

The first full-fledged subway in Japan opened in 1927. It was the line operated by Tokyo Underground Railway Co., Ltd. between Ueno and Asakusa (approximately 2.2 km). At a time when steam locomotives were still the dominant form of transportation, the company developed the Type 1000 electric train for underground use.

【Type 1000 Electric Train】

Route Expansion

In 1933, the Midosuji Line of the Osaka Municipal Subway opened between Umeda and Shinsaibashi as Japan's first publicly operated subway. From that point onward, subways in Japan continued to expand and open new lines in step with urban development, with growth centered on Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya in the 1950s and 60s before spreading to regional hub cities.
Today, subways serve as an indispensable part of transportation infrastructure for urban activity, with a total route length of 851.5 km from Hokkaido to Kyushu, reaching 15.35 million passengers per day (FY 2023 figures).

【Subway Construction in the Early Showa Period】

The Strengths of Subways

Regularity and High Speed

Unaffected by severe weather such as typhoons, subways excel in regularity of service and, because they can travel between destinations without being subject to road traffic conditions, are also a high-speed mode of transportation.

Safety

With no risk of contact with pedestrians or road vehicles, and with advanced operation management systems such as ATC (Automatic Train Control) increasingly in place, subways have a low accident rate and are a safe mode of transportation.

Consideration for the Environment

The CO2 emissions generated by railways, including subways, to carry one passenger one kilometer are roughly one-eighth those of a private automobile, making them an environmentally-friendly mode of transportation.
However, because subways require specialized construction methods, initial construction costs are high, and daily inspection and maintenance demand considerable labor, meaning subways are only feasible in large urban centers where sufficient ridership can be expected.

Recent Developments Among Member Organizations

Nationwide Interoperability of Transit IC Cards

Automated ticket gates have been installed at subways nationwide, allowing major transit IC cards such as Suica and PASMO to be used interchangeably. Pay-later boarding services using contactless credit card and debit card payments have also been expanding in recent years.

Subway Construction

Extension work currently underway covers two lines operated by Tokyo Metro Co., Ltd., the Yurakucho Line (Toyosu to Sumiyoshi) and the Namboku Line (Shinagawa to Shirokane-Takanawa), with service on both extensions scheduled to begin in the mid-2030s.

An Overview of Publicly Managed Subway Systems
City NameNumber of Lines
Main Line Names		Route Distance
(After Extension)		2018 Passenger Numbers
(1000 Passengers per Day)		Main
Transport Pass		Start Date of Operation
ロゴSapporo

3 Main Lines
Namboku Line (North - South),
Tozai Line (East - West),
Toho Line

48.0km

629

SAPICA1971.12
ロゴSendai2 Main Lines
Namboku Line (North - South),
Tozai Line (East - West)		28.7km249icsca1986.7
ロゴTokyo Metropolitan Area
(Tokyo Metro)		4 Main Lines
Asakusa Line,
Mita Line,
Shinjuku Line,
Oedo Line		109.0km2,821PASMO1960.12
ロゴYokohama2 Main Lines
Blue Line,
Green Line		53.4km670PASMO1971.12
ロゴNagoya6 Main Lines
Including: Higashiyama Line,
Meijo Line, and others		93.3km1,336manaca1957.11
ロゴKyoto2 Main Lines
Karasuma Line, Tozai Line		31.2km397PiTaPa1981.5
ロゴKobe2 Main Lines
Seishin Line, Yamate Line,
Hokushin Line, Kaigan Line		38.1km314PiTaPa1977.3
ロゴFukuoka3 Main Lines　Airport Line, Hakozaki Line, Nanakuma Line29.8km
(31.4km)		470Hayakaken1981.7
Private Management/ Part Public Management (Third Sector) Subway Overview
City NameNumber of Lines Main Line NamesRoute Distance
(After Extension)		2018 Passenger Numbers (1000 Passengers per Day)Main Transport PassStart Date of Operation
ロゴTokyo Metro9 Main Lines
Ginza Line, Marunouchi Line, Hibiya Line, and others

195.0km

7,579

PASMO

1927.12

ロゴOsaka Metro8 Main Lines
Midosuji Line,
Tanimachi Line,
Sakaisuji Line, and others		137.8km2,559PiTaPa1933.5
ロゴHokuso Railway1 Main Line
Hokuso Railway Line		32.3km106PASMO1991.3
ロゴSaitama Rapid Railway1 Main Line
Saitama Rapid Railway Line		14.6km118PASMO2001.3
ロゴToyo Rapid Railway1 Main Line
Toyo Express Line		16.2km157PASMO1996.4
ロゴHiroshima Rapid Transit1 Main Line
Astram Line		18.4km65PASPY1994.8
ロゴYokohama Rapid Railway1 Main Line
Minatomirai Line		4.1km217PASMO2004.2
ロゴMetropolitan Intercity Railway1 Main Line
TSUKUBA EXPRESS LINE		58.3 km403PASMO2005.8