Passengers traveling by express trains operated by the six Japan Railway group firms during the New Year holiday season surged 7 percent to 11.1 million for the first year-on-year increase in four years, the group reported Tuesday.
Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) saw a 7 percent increase in passengers to 3.19 million during the period between Dec. 28 and Jan. 8, the first time in four years that the company registered an increase.
Its super-express "Nozomi," which links Tokyo and Osaka, marked a particularly large rise of 12 percent compared with the previous season, the company said.
A JR Tokai spokesman attributed the surge to the new "Happy Monday" law, which increases the number of three-day weekends to let more people enjoy their leisure time. Jan. 8 was a national holiday this year under the law.
East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) also recorded its first year-on-year rise in five years with a 6 percent increase from the same period last year to 4.88 million passengers.
JR East attributed its increase to a rebound from concerns over Y2K problems, which discouraged many passengers from traveling during the previous season.