In an interview with Nishinippon Shimbun, JR Kyushu revealed that 19 of its 20 train lines are operating in the red, including the Kagoshima Line, the company’s biggest line in terms fare revenues. In fiscal 2013, JR Kyushu struggled with ¥15.6 billion in losses. This is the first time since JR Kyushu was privatized in 1987 that its profit and loss statements have been made public. The only line in the black is the Sasaguri Line, which carries a large number of commuters into Hakata and Tenjin. Although heavily travelled sections of routes in Fukuoka and Nagasaki operate in the black, portions of the Kagoshima Line that run parallel to the Kyushu Shinkansen, which opened in March 2011, have struggled to keep losses in check. This revelation raises questions about whether or not some lines can remain in operation. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun 2/19
