JR East has launched a new freight service using Shinkansen trains to meet increasing logistics demands while preparing for a long-term decline in passenger numbers. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

JR East has launched a new freight service using Shinkansen trains to meet increasing logistics demands while preparing for a long-term decline in passenger numbers
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Boxes of fresh produce are carried out of a Tohoku Shinkansen at Tokyo Station on Friday.

JR East Targets Logistics Market with Dedicated Shinkansen Cars

The company now runs freight operations every Friday between Shin-Aomori and Tokyo via the Tohoku Shinkansen. Two of the train’s ten cars are dedicated to cargo.

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JR East removed seats from these cars, creating space for up to 200 boxes per train. Each package, with dimensions up to 120 centimeters total, costs $13–$20 depending on volume and contract terms.

Cargo is loaded between seats or in fully refurbished compartments. The company intends to introduce Shinkansen trains composed entirely of freight cars, with a projected annual revenue of $66 million.

JR East Adapts to Demographic Change with Freight Innovation

Media viewed the unloading process at Tokyo Station, where the first deliveries included scallops from Aomori and dried wakame from Iwate, later sold at station kiosks the same day.

By introducing cargo services, JR East diversifies its operations and strengthens revenue. These steps help offset declining passenger traffic due to Japan’s aging and shrinking population.

Other operators follow suit. JR West and JR Kyushu are testing freight use on their bullet trains. JR Tokai, meanwhile, has repurposed its Shinkansen for event rentals and fan-based entertainment.

With strategic use of its network, JR East aligns transport innovation with future economic needs. This move positions the company as a key player in Japan’s evolving logistics ecosystem.

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