The number of passengers on express and limited express trains during this summer’s Bon holiday period in Japan rose 7% from a year earlier despite worries about a major earthquake and a typhoon, data from six Japan Railways Group companies showed Monday.
Passengers on such trains totaled about 12,236,000 in the 10 days through Sunday.
Earlier this month, the Meteorological Agency issued emergency information on a possible megaquake in the Nankai Trough off the country’s Pacific coast.
In addition, powerful Typhoon Ampil was approaching Japan, prompting Central Japan Railway, or JR Central, to cancel all Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Nagoya stations on Friday.
Still, reserved seats on Tokaido Shinkansen trains to Tokyo were mostly full on Thursday afternoon and Saturday, according to the operator.
“Some customers are believed to have changed their travel plans after we announced the train cancellation on Wednesday evening,” said a JR Central official.
Meanwhile, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways saw more passengers than a year before on both domestic and international flights.
Demand was particularly high for domestic flights to the Kyushu region and Okinawa Prefecture, and for international flights to East and Southeast Asia.