The total number of passengers on shinkansen and other express trains during the Golden Week period from late April to early May increased 3% from a year earlier to over 13 million, data from six Japan Railways group companies showed Wednesday.
The result is believed to reflect the impact of the 2025 World Exposition in the city of Osaka, as well as demand from foreign visitors.
The number of passengers on Tokaido Shinkansen trains rose 5%, with the section between the Tokyo metropolitan area and Osaka showing particularly high growth.
The Sanyo Shinkansen line saw a 3% rise in passengers, while the Narita Express line, which connects the metropolitan area and Narita International Airport, logged a 9% jump.
Among airlines, All Nippon Airways reported a 1.9% increase in the number of passengers on domestic flights, and Japan Airlines recorded a 3.9% rise in such passengers. Both carriers saw significant increases in passengers on flights to the Kansai region, including Osaka.
For international flights, ANA and JAL logged passenger growth of 10.9% and 14.2%, respectively.
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