Strategic railway systems using ADS technologies in Japan

The author reviews how JR East (East Japan Railway Company) as a leading passenger railway company in Japan has constructed, starting since 1987, the Strategic Railway Systems (SRS), which are necessarily required for the management of a privatized company and which can be a powerful tool for the enhancement of management efficiency. The paper discusses the underlying basic concept and the technologies applied in the construction of SRS. The history of introduction of SRS is reviewed by comparing it with the form of a railway system which was dictated by the needs of management of a public corporation in the era of JNR. The technical background which made it possible to build SRS, particularly the technological progress in the IT area and the autonomous decentralized system technologies. Finally, the author presents his view on what future progress is expected of SRS which is in use today.