Tokyo on Tuesday launched a campaign to ease overcrowding on trains during morning rush hour — one of the capital's most infamous blights — by encouraging staggered commuting.
With about 260 companies and municipalities taking part, the two-week campaign will get a boost from extra trains in the early morning hours. Commuters who avoid rush hour will also have a chance to win gifts.
Called Jisa Biz (the word jisa means "time difference" in English) and led by Gov. Yuriko Koike, the campaign is aimed at alleviating train congestion in the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.