When will Japan Choose Light Rail Transit

Interest in Light Rail Transit (LRT) as a viable urban transportation system has been growing worldwide since the late 20th century. Although there is no definite difference between trams and LRT systems, the latter is an evolved tramway system—tracks are often segregated from other traffic, cars run faster, and everyone has easy access due to level boarding. In Germany, where old tramway systems have been vigorously upgraded as LRT (Stadtbahn) systems since the 1960s, LRT systems have become the core of urban transport in many cities. Also new LRT systems have been constructed in France and the UK some 40 or so years after both countries closed many old tramway systems dating from the Victorian era. LRT systems are also starting to appear in the USA and Canada, two countries known for their love of the automobile. Under these circumstances, although no new LRT systems have been built in Japan recently, some tramway systems have begun to introduce low-floor cars with improved ease-of-access and efficiency. This article reviews Japanese tramway systems and discusses the possibility of reviving them as LRT systems. Short History of Tramways in Japan