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Private company

Nippon Railway

Logo: Maxima m, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

Nippon Railway (日本鉄道, Nippon Tetsudō) was the first private railway company in the history of Japan. The company built trunk lines connecting Tokyo with the Tōhoku region to the northeast. Most of its lines came under the control of Japanese Government Railways following nationalization in 1906, and many are now operated by East Japan Railway Company.2 It was founded in 1881.1 It is headquartered in Tokyo Prefecture.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

Nov 1, 1881Founded1
  • Industryrail transport1
  • HeadquartersTokyo Prefecture1
  • Legal formkabushiki gaisha1

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Fukiage Saitama Nippon Railway Railway-workers 1
Photo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

Nippon Railway (日本鉄道, Nippon Tetsudō) was the first private railway company in the history of Japan. The company built trunk lines connecting Tokyo with the Tōhoku region to the northeast. Most of its lines came under the control of Japanese Government Railways following nationalization in 1906, and many are now operated by East Japan Railway Company.2

Timeline

  1. Oct 31, 1906Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. Nov 1, 1881Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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