Japan train and one passenger

The Kami-Shirataki Station in Hokkaido Japan

A train station in a village in Japan has been kept open for 3 years by a lone student passenger despite being closed. In a small village, a train station was kept open to enable a single young girl to go to school. Each train left this station only twice a day, when she was going to school and when she was coming back from school. And the government kept the station running until the student graduated from high school. These are living nations, developed and full of humanity. Although they are unbelievers, they are true, honest, true and funny.

Yes, this story refers to the Kami-Shirataki Station in Hokkaido, Japan. This tiny rural station was initially scheduled to close due to extremely low passenger numbers, as the surrounding village population had dwindled and most residents had moved away. However, the station remained open for three more years because a high school girl, the last regular passenger, relied on it to get to school every day.

Japan's commitment to education

The Japan Railways (JR) Group, which operates much of Japan’s rail system, decided to keep Kami-Shirataki Station operational until this student graduated, a gesture reflecting Japan's commitment to education and dedication to community service. The train schedule was adjusted to accommodate her school timetable so that she could continue to use the train as a reliable mode of transportation.

The needs of just one individual

Once the student graduated, the station finally closed in March 2016, after years of serving as a unique reminder of community responsibility and rural life in Japan. This story touched people worldwide, as it demonstrated a rare level of care and understanding from a major organization for the needs of just one individual.