According to the October 2026 issue of Railway Rolling Stock Industry, production of the 385 and 227 series and other conventional-line trains for JR is forecast for FY2027, with commercial operations expected to begin around FY2029.
The latest issue of Railway Rolling Stock Industry, published by the Japan Railway Rolling Stock Industries Association, reports forecasts for FY2027 production of conventional-line trains for the JR Group. The models covered include JR Central's 385 series and JR West's 227 series. The Chiba area of JR East is also cited as a destination for the E131 series. This suggests that mass-production trains may be produced for FY2027.
For the 385 series, production of one pre-production trainset is under way, and running tests of next-generation tilting-control technology and other systems are believed to have begun. Commercial operations have been announced for around FY2029, so if production takes place in FY2027, it would be approximately 2 years before the start of actual operations.
There has been no formal announcement of additional 227 series trains at this time. The Yamaguchi area has only 9 trainsets, or 24 cars, and the 227 series 500 subseries has previously operated on the Bantan Line. Additional deployment for specific areas and lines may be considered in the future.
The E131 series is believed to be primarily destined for the Chiba area, with production and deployment potentially expanding to other regions. Additional deployment of the 211 series in the Nagano and Yamanashi areas, as well as new deployment in the Gunma area, may also be envisaged.