According to Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight), August transport volumes were 1.23 million tonnes for containers and 628,000 tonnes for wagonload freight, for a total of 1.858 million tonnes. These figures represented year-on-year declines of 7.8%, 4.7% and 6.8%, respectively.
Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight) released its transport results for August 2026. Container transport totaled 1,230 thousand tonnes, or 92.2% of the year-earlier level, while wagonload freight totaled 628 thousand tonnes, or 95.3%. The combined total was 1,858 thousand tonnes, or 93.2% of the year-earlier level, representing an overall decline of 6.8%.
Container volumes were below the previous year partly because of declines in eco-related materials and excavated soil generated by construction of the Chuo Shinkansen. Shipments of food and industrial products also declined amid regionally cooler temperatures. Agricultural products and fresh produce fell below the previous year, affected by the reaction to shipments of government-stockpiled rice in the previous year and weak rice consumption.
Wagonload volumes declined partly because of the reaction to strong cement production in the previous year. The combined total for containers and wagonload freight was also below the previous year, resulting in lower overall transport volumes.