Japan Rail to permanently close one of Hokkaido's main lines

An artists impression of 3D printed concrete train station

JR Hokkaido will soon close the countries’ shortest main line railway.

The train company formally submitted a notification to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, outlining its intention to discontinue railway operations on the section of the Rumoi Main Line between Fukagawa Station and Ishikari-Numata Station.

Historically the Rumoi Main Line was a vital transportation artery in Hokkaido and once spanned a total distance of 66.8 kilometers, connecting Fukagawa Station with Mashike Station, a town located on the western coast of the island.

In recent years the line has faced significant challenges, primarily stemming from a consistent decline in passenger ridership and broader financial difficulties experienced by JR Hokkaido.

JR Hokkaido train in Niseko — JR Hokkaido covers a large and mostly rural area of Japan

These factors have led to a gradual reduction in the operational length of the Rumoi Main Line since 2016.

The first major segment of the line to be discontinued was the section between Rumoi Station and Mashike Station, which ceased operations on December 5th 2016.

This closure reduced the line’s operational length to the section between Fukagawa and Rumoi.

JR Hokkaido engaged with the local governments situated along the remaining Fukagawa to Rumoi section of the Rumoi Main Line regarding the future viability of the railway service.

These municipalities include the cities of Rumoi and Fukagawa, as well as the towns of Numata and Chippubetsu.

Chippubetsu is one of the four communities the line still runs through

In August 2022, JR Hokkaido reached a mutual agreement with these local authorities to proceed with the discontinuation of railway operations on this final segment of the line.

Subsequently, on April 1st 2023, the segment between Rumoi Station and Ishikari-Numata Station was also discontinued, further shortening the actively operating portion of the Rumoi Main Line to its current 14.4-kilometer stretch between Fukagawa and Ishikari-Numata.

This remaining section holds the distinction of being the shortest railway line within the entire JR Group that is officially designated as a “Main Line” railway.

JR Hokkaido has continued having financial issues, largely due to increasing operational costs while operating in a large region with a decreasing and aging population, and has had to consider cutting rail services further.

Proposals aimed at preserving the Fukagawa to Ishikari-Numata section of the Rumoi Main Line ultimately proved unsuccessful.

Fukagawa Station will remain open as a stop on the Hakodate Main Line

Negotiations between JR Hokkaido and the four municipalities linked by the remaining main line reportedly faltered when JR Hokkaido presented a financial demand of 300 million Japanese yen per year as a prerequisite for maintaining the line’s operation.

This substantial financial expense was deemed unfeasible by the local governments, leading to the decision to proceed with the discontinuation of rail services on the line.

The scheduled date for the complete cessation of railway operations between Fukagawa Station and Ishikari-Numata Station has been set for April 1st 2026.

The final day of service on this segment of the Rumoi Main Line will be the preceding day, March 31st 2026.

This timeline provides a period for JR Hokkaido to finalize logistical arrangements for the discontinuation and for the local communities to prepare for the transition to alternative modes of transportation.

The closure of this final section will mark the end of railway operations on the historic Rumoi Main Line.

Source: Tetsudo