Japan Railways Group
 Logo of JR Group | |
| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Japan National Railways |
| Founded | 1 April 1987 |
| Subsidiaries | See list of companies |
The Japan Railways Group, commonly known as the JR Group (Jei Āru Gurūpu) or simply JR, is a network of railway companies in Japan formed after the division and privatization of the government-owned Japanese National Railways (JNR) on 1 April 1987. The group comprises six regional passenger railway companies, one freight railway company, and two non-service entities. The JNR Settlement Corporation assumed much of the debt of the former JNR.
The companies of the JR Group operates a significant portion of Japan’s rail services, including intercity routes, commuter lines, and the Shinkansen high-speed rail network.
JR Hokkaido, JR Shikoku, and JR Freight (JRF) are governed by the Act for the Passenger Railway Companies and Japan Freight Railway Company, also known as the JR Companies Act, and are overseen by the public Japan Railway Construction, Transport, and Technology Agency (JRTT). In contrast, JR East, JR Central, JR West, and JR Kyushu are fully privatized and publicly traded.
Due to JR’s origins as a government-run entity, Japanese rail users often distinguish JR lines (including some now operated by third-sector entities) from other private railways. This distinction is typically reflected in the way JR and other private railways are labeled on maps.