Happy New Year.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude for your continued support during the past year.

Last year, the Covid-19 was classified as a "Class 5 infectious disease" on May 8th, and travel demand expanded and the number of foreign visitors to Japan returned to pre-Covid-19 levels.

In addition, on October 1, the "Revised Act on Revitalization of Regional Public Transport" came into effect, which organized the roles of operators, regions, and the national government with regard to regional railroads and clarified the path for the reconstruction of regional public transport based on the reconstruction policy agreed upon through consultation among these entities.

Under these circumstances, fortunately, there was no serious damage to railway facilities due to the natural disasters that have occurred almost every year in recent years. I think that our association's member businesses were able to proactively implement efforts to stimulate demand among residents along railway lines and to increase customer numbers in response to expanding travel demand.

The Tohoku Railway Association also was able to proactively hold to maintain and improve the technical skills of its members, by the implementing railway signal/communication training, the train attendant skill-up training in Aizu, participating in training conducted by Aizu Railway/Iwate Galaxy Railway and holding the consultation meetings with the railway technology and safety advisors etc.

This year, the Tohoku Railway Association will continue to develop initiatives aimed at maintaining and improving the technical capabilities of its members, keeping in mind the long-term suspension of service caused by a derailment that occurred at a member company last year.

In any case, as people involved in railway transportation, our top priority is the safe and secure transportation of passengers and goods. I will continue to work hard this year without letting my guard down.

In closing, I would like to pray that this year will be a year of great brightness for all of you, and I would like to ask for your continued support and cooperation for the Tohoku Railway Association and the regional railways in the Tohoku region and Hakodate area.

With that, I would like to conclude my New Year's greetings.

        January 1^st 2024

        The Tohoku Railway Association 

        Chairperson   Choniro Sawada