East Japan Railway has applied for government permission to raise its fares in March 2026.

The move by the country's largest train operator is aimed at securing funds to maintain stable operations, as Japan's declining population is unlikely to boost passenger numbers.

JR East will raise ticket prices in its entire service area, covering central Tokyo, by an average 7.1 percent.

The base fare for the Yamanote loop line linking Tokyo's major transit hubs will be raised from 150 yen to 160 yen, or one dollar and 7 cents.

Sections in the capital area where the company has maintained lower fares will also be subject to the revisions. Passengers in these sections will see a greater increase in rates compared with other areas.

JR East hiked its fares in some sections last year to pay for upgrading stations to be barrier-free.

This will be the company's first blanket fare hike since its foundation in 1987, excluding periods following consumption tax increases.

Watari Chiharu, Executive Vice President of East Japan Railway, said "It's very painful to increase the burden, but we want to continue to contribute to society, so we'd like our customers to understand the fare revisions."

The government will consider the application submitted by the firm.

Among other rail operators, JR Hokkaido will hike fares by an average 7.6 percent, and JR Kyushu by 15 percent, in April next year.

Passenger numbers have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, and the prospect of this happening has been dimmed by the fact that many people now work remotely.

Rail operators have also had to contend with rising labor and overhead costs.