Regional Revitalization
Companionable Community Development
With the aim of increasing human interaction, visitor numbers, and the size of resident populations, we are promoting companionable community development, in which local communities and the Group work together to solve a variety of issues, with the aim of creating sustainable communities.
Development of Best Practices for the Promotion of Sustainable Community Development
We have set a KPI of implementing 30 initiatives a year for tourism promotion and regional revitalization in collaboration with local communities, and in order to promote companionable community development with employees from each region who serve at the front lines, such as at our general management centers, we are providing support tools to be used in dialogue with local communities and developing human resource through workshops and seminars.Furthermore, by hosting the JR East Regional Co-creation Awards,we will widely share best practices within the Group and with local stakeholders, accelerating the creation of new value that combines the various solutions offered by the Group with the appeal of the region.
Creating New Value for Japan with Accommodation Facilities
In collaboration with world-renowned hotelier Adrian Zecha, we launched a new hotel brand, AZUMA FARM, in January 2025, and will open AZUMA FARM KOIWAI on the site of Koiwai Farm in spring 2026.Moreover, we will create new experiences and value for the region through new mobility technologies such as flying cars and various activities in collaboration with KOIWAI FARM, LTD and local citizens.
Usui Pass Abandoned Railway Walk: A High-Value-Added Initiative Utilizing Railway Cultural Heritage
Annaka City Tourism Association, Inc. led the creation of the Usui Pass Abandoned Railway Walk in 2018. With the aim of adding value to this walk, Annaka City Tourism Association, Inc., local governments, the Company, and others have joined forces to establish the Abandoned Railway Walk Night Content Consortium.
After repeated discussions aimed at revitalizing the region by leveraging the content’s appeal, we created the new MELODIC LIGHT WALK, an experiential night walk filled with light and sound that can be visited even in winter and at night.
We will continue to work with local citizens to refine the content in order to make it more sustainable, while utilizing JR East’s assets, such as attracting visitors, including inbound tourists, by utilizing digital and real life advertising media, and making listings on JRE MALL hometown tax donations and JRE MALL tickets.
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Abandoned Railway Walk -
MELODIC LIGHT WALK
Solving Social Issues through Digital Transformation: Ticketing for Mobility and Lifestyle
As issues caused by labor shortages become more apparent, the digital transformation of regional transportation in collaboration with local governments is an important issue for the Group. By utilizing the Group’s resources and forming dynamic alliances with other companies, we will create new value in mobility and contribute to the resolution of regional issues.
MaaS, which began as a digital transformation in the mobility sector, will evolve into a “social system” through expansion and integration into the lifestyle sector in order to solve regional issues and reduce the overall cost of living.
Suica Renaissance: Realization of “Community Suica” (Tentative Name)
We will expand the areas and functions of regional digital transformation services, such as by linking transportation IC cards with Individual Number Cards, while also creating “Community Suica” (tentative name), which will provide a variety of public services and services unique to the region. Through this, we will create an environment in which people can use safe and comfortable lifestyle services.
Regional Collaboration IC Cards that Enable Seamless Mobility between Regional Transportation and Railways
The regional collaboration IC card is a 2-in-1 card that combines regional service functions, such as commuter passes and various discounts for buses operated by regional transportation companies, with Suica services, such as tickets and electronic money that can be used in Suica areas and areas that are mutually compatible with Suica.
For regional transportation operators, the advantage of this is that by sharing the central system built by JR East, they will no longer have to bear the costs of server management or system updates, and will be able to introduce IC card transportation services at low cost.
There are currently 15 types, including “totra” (in the Utsunomiya area), which began service in March 2021, and “KURURU” (in the Nagano area), which began service in March 2025, and the number of buses, etc. has expanded to over, 000. By continuing to provide these kinds of services into the future, we will contribute to improving the convenience and sustainable maintenance of public transportation.
