Improving Customer Satisfaction and Attracting Fans of JR West

「Promote use of the paid reserved-seat service "SUWALOCA"」

「Further expansion of paid reserved-seat services, including expansion of “Ureshiート” in October and March and the launch in February of “SUWALOCA,” the unified brand for paid reserved-seat services」

「During the interim consolidated accounting period under review, customer use continued to increase due to factors including Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, or the Expo, and inbound demand.」

「The Company strongly focused on “thinking of customers and meeting their expectations” and is realizing customer-oriented management with CS at the core of its strategy.」

「During the interim consolidated accounting period under review, customer use continued to increase as demand recovered, and operating revenue rose 5.4% year on year to ¥811.3 billion. However, operating income decreased 1.4% to ¥104.7 billion due to upfront expenses for the Osaka urban development project and other projects and the disappearance of special vaccine-related demand. Ordinary income increased 0.1% to ¥98.5 billion due to lower interest payments and higher equity-method investment income, among other factors. Interim net income attributable to owners of the parent, after income taxes and other adjustments, increased 3.8% to ¥69.7 billion.」

「In addition to increased use resulting from the recovery in railway demand, inbound demand remained strong. As a result, operating revenue increased 18.3% year on year to ¥986.4 billion and operating income increased 244.3% to ¥114.4 billion.」

「During the cumulative third quarter of the fiscal year under review, customer use and personal consumption recovered, while inbound demand also remained strong. As a result, operating revenue increased 22.5% year on year to ¥1.1943 trillion. In addition, as structural reforms progressed, operating income increased 146.4% to ¥172.4 billion and ordinary income increased 169.1% to ¥161.0 billion. Net income attributable to owners of the parent for the quarter, after income taxes and other adjustments, increased 25.8% to ¥109.8 billion, despite the reversal of tax benefits under the business adaptation plan in the previous fiscal year.」

「During the cumulative second quarter of the fiscal year under review, customer use and personal consumption recovered as the impact of COVID-19 diminished, while inbound demand also remained strong. As a result, operating revenue increased 24.8% year on year to ¥769.9 billion, operating income increased 214.0% to ¥106.2 billion, ordinary income increased 255.4% to ¥98.4 billion, and net income attributable to owners of the parent for the quarter, after income taxes and other adjustments, increased 4.1% to ¥67.1 billion, despite the reversal of tax benefits under the business adaptation plan in the previous fiscal year.」

「• Launch of the group-wide points service “WESTER Points” (March) • Began a demonstration test of facial-recognition ticket gates at Osaka Station’s Umekita area and introduced “Midori no Ticket Vending Machine Plus + AI,” equipped with AI-based automated response functions (March) • Launch of the “Mobile ICOCA for Android™” service (March)」

「Although the outlook regarding the impact of COVID-19 remains uncertain in some respects, the Company will continue to promote initiatives throughout the group that enable customers to use its services safely and with peace of mind, while taking opportunities such as the nationwide travel support program and the easing of border-control measures to stimulate tourism demand and encourage use.」

「Although the outlook regarding the impact of COVID-19 remains uncertain in some respects, the Company will continue to promote initiatives throughout the group that enable customers to use its services safely and with peace of mind, while taking opportunities such as the nationwide travel support program and the removal of limits on the number of entrants to stimulate tourism demand and encourage use.」

「The Company will also promote initiatives throughout the group that enable customers to use its services safely and with peace of mind, while seeking to encourage use and create new demand by providing value based on new customer needs.」

「While paying close attention to safety and security, the Company will continue to pursue demand-recovery measures suited to conditions in each area, after assessing government policies, social conditions and customers’ usage patterns, as well as develop new initiatives that reflect changes in behavior and customer attitudes.」

「The Company will continue to promote initiatives throughout the group that enable customers to use its services safely and with peace of mind, while seeking to create demand by providing value based on new customer needs.」

「The Company will continue to promote initiatives throughout the group that enable customers to use its services safely and with peace of mind, while seeking to encourage use and create new demand by providing value based on new customer needs.」

「• Expanded the ICOCA area (Northern Kinki area, Kinokuni Line, Hakubi Line, Kansai Main Line and Nanao Line) (March) • Expanded IC commuter pass services, including sales of Shinkansen commuter passes (March) • Expanded the e5489 “Ticketless Service” for conventional lines (March) • Launched the staggered commuting points service “ICOCA de Jisapo” (service launch in April)」

「(Main specific initiatives to restore demand) • Commencement of operations of “WEST EXPRESS Ginga” (from September of the previous year to the San’in area, and from December of the same year to the San’yō area) • Conducted the “Where Shall We Go Through the Anywhere Door?” campaign, including sales of the “Anywhere Door Ticket” (October of the previous year to January) • Sold discounted tickets including “Sanyo Shinkansen Last-Minute Discount 50” and “e-ticket Hayatoku 21/14” on the Hokuriku Shinkansen • Conducted the “Setouchi Hiroshima Destination Campaign” (October to December of the same year) • Released the MaaS apps “WESTER” and “setowa” (September of the same year)」

「While paying close attention to safety and security, the Company will continue to take phased measures to restore demand according to conditions in each area, after assessing government policies, social conditions and customers’ usage patterns, and will develop new initiatives that reflect changes in behavior and customer attitudes. • Commencement of operations of “WEST EXPRESS Ginga” (September) • Start of sales of the “Anywhere Door Ticket” (September) • Release of the MaaS apps “WESTER” and “setowa” (September)」

「While paying close attention to safety and security, the Company will continue to take phased measures to restore demand according to conditions in each area, after assessing government policies, social conditions and customers’ usage patterns, and will implement initiatives tailored to attributes such as individual travelers and younger people and to travel purposes. It will also identify changes in behavior and customer attitudes and develop new initiatives to meet diverse needs, including business and travel demand.」

「• Launch of the “Shinkansen e-ticket service” on the Hokuriku Shinkansen (March) • Conducted a pre-destination campaign in the Setouchi area and a demonstration test of the tourism-oriented MaaS service “setowa” (October of the previous year to March)」

「• Conducted a campaign commemorating the second anniversary of “Smart EX” and reaching 3 million users (October to December of the same year)」

「Regarding sales initiatives, the Company positioned improving CS, or customer satisfaction, as one of the basic strategies of its railway business and is working to capture and create business and tourism demand, including demand from visitors to Japan, while promoting initiatives that meet customers’ diverse needs.」

「• Began handling online reservations through “e5489” at stations in the JR Central area (April) • Began handling dedicated products for visitors to Japan through “JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION” (May)」

「• Established a chat inquiry desk for lost property and opened a dedicated lost-property telephone line (May of the previous year) • Began providing service information on the official Twitter account (August of the same year) and in multiple languages (March) • Enhanced guidance on train operations information by expanding the train location service and through other measures (March)」

「• Launch of the ICOCA Points service and PiTaPa post-pay service (October of the same year) • Launch of service information on the official Twitter account (August of the same year)」

「The Company also proceeded with preparations for the launch of the ICOCA Points service on 1 October.」

「• Established a chat inquiry desk for lost property and opened a dedicated lost-property telephone line (May)」

「During the “Medium-Term Plan 2017” period, the Company positioned CS, or customer satisfaction, as one of its basic strategies and worked to capture and create business and tourism demand while promoting initiatives that meet customers’ diverse needs. During the consolidated fiscal year under review, it also pursued various initiatives to improve CS, enhance the quality of Shinkansen transportation services, increase the value of railway lines in the Kinki area and attract tourists in cooperation with local communities across western Japan.」

「Regarding sales initiatives, the Company positioned CS, or customer satisfaction, as one of the basic strategies in its group medium-term management plan and is working to capture and create business and tourism demand while promoting initiatives that meet customers’ diverse needs. For the Shinkansen, it worked to improve convenience through the launch of the new ticketless service “Smart EX.” It also worked to enhance the value of railway lines in the Kinki area and attract tourists in cooperation with local communities across western Japan. In addition, it worked to improve arrangements for receiving visitors to Japan and enhance the appeal of Otonabi, its membership organization for seniors. The Company will also promote initiatives such as introducing a points service to expand use of ICOCA further.」

「For the Shinkansen, the Company worked to improve convenience through the launch of the new ticketless service “Smart EX,” while enhancing the value of railway lines in the Kinki area and attracting tourists in cooperation with local communities across western Japan and elsewhere. It also worked to improve arrangements for receiving visitors to Japan and enhance the appeal of Otonabi, its membership organization for seniors.」

「The Company positioned CS, or customer satisfaction, as one of the basic strategies in its group medium-term management plan and is working to capture and create business and tourism demand while promoting initiatives that meet customers’ diverse needs.」

「For “CS,” the Company set a numerical target of a customer satisfaction survey score of 4.0 or higher, representing a situation in which 80% of customers use its services favorably, and pursued specific initiatives including improved transportation quality, better cleanliness and appearance at stations and onboard trains, and enhanced information provision during disruptions. As a result, customer satisfaction has continued to rise since fiscal 2012 and is approaching the target.」

「With the goal of making customers fans of JR-West, the Company has worked to deepen communication with customers and enhance and improve services, based on the “CS Vision 2017 / CS Action Declaration” and the recognition that “all work is connected to our customers.”」