Consisting of nationwide subway operators, railway operators with mutual access to subways, and manufacturers related to subway systems, the Japanese Subway Association shares technical and informational resources among members and works to help enhance transportation functions in cities as public transportation providers.
　It has been 97 years since the first subway in Japan opened in Tokyo in December 1927. The extension of existing lines and creation of new ones accompanying urban development during this time has led to the current 48 lines stretching 854.7 km across 12 cities from Hokkaido to Kyushu and a total ridership of 16.72 million passengers per day, meaning subways play a vital role as a fundamental public transportation system in civic life and urban activities.
　Subways help alleviate urban traffic congestion by providing high-speed underground travel and on-time service while ensuring high levels of safety and stability through advanced operating systems. Compared to transportation modes other than railways, subways are environmentally friendly with low carbon dioxide emissions and are designed to be universally accessible to everyone, including the elderly and foreigners.
　Subway ridership, which dropped significantly due to the spread of COVID-19, has largely recovered but has yet to reach pre-pandemic levels, with particularly weak recovery in commuter pass ridership.
　Furthermore, many challenges remain, such as putting in place measures for aging infrastructure, earthquakes, and increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters, as well as promoting barrier-free design.
　As the Association, we will continue to request government support and work with subway operators and related organizations to implement measures for these challenges in ways both tangible and intangible, as well as introduce evolving railway technologies and develop solutions for linear metro challenges.
　While rising prices in recent years have also become a factor putting pressure on subway finances, we will respond appropriately to changes in the business environment and, taking into account changes in rider behavior in the wake of the pandemic, support efforts to achieve greater economic efficiency and strengthen the management foundations of subway operators.
　Going forward, we will strive to have more passengers use subways as a beloved means of transportation that is safe, secure, comfortable, convenient, and good both for people and the environment, and in doing so ask for your continued support and guidance.