Japan's privatized national railways, known as JR, started with a big public celebration but hid serious financial issues. The debt from the old national rail system was moved to a new agency, allowing JR to look profitable right from the start.
To make the railways seem successful, the government cut jobs and weakened labor unions, which helped JR reduce costs and shift focus to customer service, making it appear more efficient.
While JR showed initial profitability and ridership growth, the reality is that public funding and clever accounting masked ongoing financial struggles, leading to a significant government bailout years later.
The privatization and dissolution of Japanese National Railways (JNR) was driven by political dynamics and a push for neoliberal reforms by key figures like Yasuhiro Nakasone.
The media played a significant role in shaping public opinion and supporting the privatization of JNR, contributing to its downfall.
Labor unions ultimately surrendered and supported JNR privatization and division, leading to the dissolution of the iconic railway agency by April 1, 1987.
Kyiv Metro managed to run high frequency trains during wartime, which was a challenge for other systems.
The success of Kyiv Metro can be attributed to infrastructural choices, like station typology, and organizational practices, like a Soviet-era philosophy of train throughput.
Kyiv Metro's ability to operate effectively and maintain high frequencies is also due to having a surplus of labor, contributing to its resilience.
Japan's national public railway labor unions faced a significant decline from their powerful past, with membership dropping drastically over the years.
The labor unions within Japan's national railways held significant influence and power in the past, shaping the fate of the railways through radical left-wing politics and strikes.
The privatization of Japan's national railways in the 1980s marked the end for the powerful labor unions, leading to mass layoffs, legal battles, and the dissolution of the unions.