JR Shinkansen train with a smoking space
N700 and N700A

Two types of Shinkansen train at Tokyo terminal station 2017
The N700 is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train with tilting capacity,
which was developed jointly
by the JR Tokai ( Central Japan Railway Company ) and the JR West ( West
Japan Railway Company ),
for use on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines.
The N700 trains allow the trains to maintain the speed of 270 kms/h, even
on 2,500 m radius curves
that previously had a maximum speed of 255 kms/h. Another feature of N700
is that it accelerates
quicker than other Shinkansen trains, with an acceleration rate of 2.6
kms/h/s. This enables it to reach
270 kms/h in only three minutes. After these improvements, trains can travel
between Tokyo and Osaka
in as little as 2 hours and 25 minutes.
The Japan Railway Group, more commonly known as JR Group, consists of seven
for-profit companies
that took over most of the assets and operations of the government-owned
National Railways in 1987.
The JR Group lies at the heart of Japan's railway network, operating a
large proportion of intercity rail
service, including the Shinkansen high-speed rail lines, and commuter rail
service. The group consists
of seven operating companies, which are organized into six passenger operators
and a nationwide
freight operator. Unlike some other groups of companies, the JR Group is
made up of independent
companies.
The list of railway companies, from the northern island of Japan: Hokkaido Railway, JR-Hokkaido,
East Japan Railway, JR-East, Central Japan Railway, JR-Tokail, West Japan
Railway, JR-West, Shikoku
Railway, JR-Shikoku, and Kyushu Railway, JR-Kyushu.

(L) A train garbage collector at the JR-Tokai's plateform of Tokyo Station
2013
(R) The right-half of this photograph shows a buffer stop of the railway
track of JR-Tokai at Tokyo Terminal.
The left-half of the photo is the shinkansen track of JR-East, which extends
to Yamagata, Akita and Aomori.
2013

(L) The railway track of JR Tokai at Tokyo terminal station (R) A buffer
stop of a railway track of JR Tokai at Tokyo station 2017
Three major Japanese railway companies think the smoking space in a train
is the superb service to train
passengers.
The Government of Japan allows smoking inside of a train.
The Japan Railway Group, more commonly known as JR Group, consists of seven
for-profit companies
that took over most of the assets and operations of the government-owned
National Railways in 1987.
Smoking is prohibited in all trains of JR-Hokkaido and JR-East. A smoking
booth is provided in an express
train of JR-Tokai, JR-West and JR-Shikoku. In 2010, JR-Kyushu prohibits
smoking in a train. However,
upon completion of a new shinkansen-track line, which connects with Hakata,
and a long-distance running
to Shin-Osaka, the station of JR-Tokai, JR-Kyushu railway company will
provide a smoking booth in their
jointly operated shinkansen trains. JR Tokai and JR West still have super-express
trains, which provide
smoking seats. This policy is criticized by many citizens in Japan.

Smoking kills: The ideal train marking for the smoking vehicle of Kinki Nippon Railway
It is a suitable idea to put a mark of a death' head and cigarette on the
body of Kintetsu-Car, so that it
becomes a good photo-subject for many tourists visiting Kyoto, Nara and
Ise-Shima.

The smoking space in a train is necessary for all smokers, and that is
the superb service to a customer?
I have traveled over many countries using a train, in Canada, US, India,
Thailand, Taiwan,
Australia, New Zealand and European countries; however, nowadays, I have
never
experienced to hear the announcement of to guide a smoking room or booth
in a train.
This kind of guidance might be all train passengers to recognize the need
of smoking space
in a train, and for smokers, inhibit the feeling not to smoke for a while.
As a result, it might
work as promoting a smoking during his train trip until he arrives at the
destination.
In 2016, 49 countries, including the above-mentioned countries, allows
smoking inside of
the train. Japanese government should restrict such a smoking in a train
by law.
Otherwise, it will put our people in Japan shamed at the coming 2020 Olympic
game.
Junhaku Miymoto, M.D.,PhD.
Announcement in a train with smoking booth of JR's Tokaido-Shinkansen super-
express Cars 1, 2 and 3 are for the passengers without seat
reservations. Smoking is not
allowed on this train except in the designated smoking rooms located in
cars 3, 7 and 15.
The smoking room in car No.10 is for the passengers in the Green Cars.
Please refrain
from smoking in the train, including areas at either end of the cars.
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The smoking room in the train infringes the health of the passengers.
The railway company, Kintestu, leading passengers to health damage
The smoking room in the train adversely affects the health of the passengers.
Smoking ban in the railway trains of Japan
A few Japanese railway companies think the smoking car and/or smoking booth
in a train
is the superb service to train passengers.
All sleeper-trains in Japan are connecting a smoking vehicle.
JR-Tokai's Policy
All Shinkansen train stations between Tokyo and Osaka will have an enclosed
smoking room.

JR Tokai N700S with a smoking booth
JR Shinkansen Tokyo Station: A smoking-restriction policy is different between two JR railway companies.
Kyushu Shinkansen provides a smoking room.
Smoking ban in JR-Hokkaido trains
Smoking booth of JR Shikoku's express trains was closed in March 2011.
JR-East
Smoke-free Railway Service: World's standard to prohibit smoking in a train
Narita Airport-City Rail Service
Keisei private railway company decided to close all smoking vehicles serving
Narita International Airport, in July 2010.
No more, 'smoking-seat' ticket is available afterwards.

All non-smoking Tokyo-Aomori bullet train 'Hayabusa' debuted in March 2011.
Maximum speed is 320 kms/H, the same level of France's TGV, the world fastest
train.
 
All non-smoking Tokyo-Akita bullet train 'Super-Komachi' debuted in March
2013.

All non-smoking Tokyo-Kanazawa bullet trains run between Tokyo and Kanazawa,
via Nagano.
All Hokuriku shinkansen trains are smoke-free.
All high-speed trains in China are smoke-free.
Railway Travel around the World 世界鉄道旅行
All railway trains should be completely smoke -free.
鉄道全面禁煙化は世界の常識
Smoking ban in the railway trains of the world
日本語
JR Shinkansen train with a smoking space
2008年2月執筆 2010年7月加筆 2012年6月加筆 2013年3月加筆 2020年8月加筆
執筆 医学博士 宮本順伯
★This Web site is link-free.
The article was written in February 2008, and last revised in April 2017,
by Junhaku Miyamoto, M.D., PhD.
Information was added in July 2020.

JR Tokyo Terminal
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