[JP] JR Tokai Promotes Vice President Niwa to Next President

[Miss Maglev]

JR Tokai Promotes Vice President Niwa to Next President

On January 11, JR Tokai announced that Shunsuke Niwa, Vice President of JR Tokai, will be promoted to the new President effective April 1. President Shin Kaneko will become Chairman and Representative Director, and Chairman Yasuhide Tsuge will become Director and Advisor.

This is the first change in presidents in five years, and Mr. Niwa is the first vice president to assume the position of president since joining the company after the inauguration of JR. He is expected to steer the company's efforts to bring the Linear Central Shinkansen line to an early start.

Mr. Niwa, 57, was born in 196540 and joined the company in 1988 after graduating from the University of Tokyo with a degree in law. He has served in various positions, including General Manager of the Tokyo Public Relations Office of the Public Relations Department, General Manager of the Administration Department of the Shinkansen Railway Business Division, General Manager of the Human Resources Department, General Manager of the Public Relations Department, and General Manager of the Corporate Planning Division, before assuming his current position in June 2022.

Source: https://www.travelnews.co.jp/news/trans ... 33757.html Accessed: 2022-01-19

.

2023-01-19_JR_president

230118transport1[1].jpg (158.67 KiB) Viewed 7796 times

.
Source: https://www.travelnews.co.jp/news/trans ... 33757.html Accessed: 2022-01-19

[maglev]

　Shunsuke Niwa, 57, vice-president of JR Tokai (Central Japan Railway), will succeed Shin Kaneko, 67, as president of the company with effect from 1 April. Niwa joined the company in 1989 and is the first of the three Honshu companies to be appointed president by a member of the team that joined the company after the division and privatisation of the former Japanese National Railways in 1987. He will work to promote the construction of the Linear Central Shinkansen, which is facing difficulties in meeting its target opening date of 2027.

The Linear Central Shinkansen is a project of the late Honorary Chairman Takayuki Kasai, who reigned as the "Don of JR Tokai".

Construction of a section in Shizuoka Prefecture cannot begin due to opposition from the governor of Shizuoka Prefecture.

Info based on: https://www.data-max.co.jp/article/62277 Accessed 2023-02-27

[latestnews]

JR Tokai Promotes Shizuoka Construction Office Manager of Linear Maglev Line to CEO

At a press conference held on May 16, JR Tokai President Shunsuke Niwa announced a number of personnel changes, including the promotion of the head of the Shizuoka Construction Office for the Linear Central Shinkansen Line to the position of Executive Officer.
The aim is to emphasize communication with the local community for the early start of construction of the Shizuoka construction section.

The construction of the Linear Central Shinkansen line is not permitted in Shizuoka Prefecture due to concerns about the environmental impact of the line, making it difficult to achieve JR Tokai's goal of opening the line in 2027.
Against this backdrop, JR Tokai's President Niwa announced at a press conference on April 16 that Takaaki Naganaga, head of the Shizuoka construction office for the Linear Central Shinkansen Line, would be promoted to the position of executive officer.
According to the company, this is the first time that the current head of a linear construction office has been promoted to the position of executive officer.
In addition, the personnel plan includes appointing Kentaro Takeda, General Manager of the General Planning Division, and Hiroshi Suzuki, General Manager of the Tokai Railway Business Division, as vice presidents.
President Niwa stated at the press conference, "We are making this appointment based on the fact that we will put more effort into the promotion of the Linear Line, and I hope you will take it as a message that JR Tokai will place importance on communication with the local community in the Shizuoka area.

Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/tokai-news/20230 ... 29161.html Accessed 2023-05-17

[Miss Maglev]

JR Tokai President Shunsuke Niwa on the Future of Shinkansen and Mobility

Shunsuke Niwa, President of JR Tokai, discussed plans to enhance the Tokaido Shinkansen while carefully negotiating the construction of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen between Shinagawa and Nagoya, expected to open in the 2030s.

Outlook for 2025 & Post-Pandemic Recovery
Niwa expects higher ridership due to the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025, similar to the 2005 Aichi Expo, and sees inbound tourism growing. JR Tokai is improving multilingual guidance for foreign travelers, especially during disruptions.
Although business travel is recovering slowly, JR Tokai has successfully expanded fan-based tourism (“Oshi Tabi”), collaborating with major anime and pop culture brands. Initially, content creators were skeptical, but successful partnerships have changed perceptions.

Innovations from Crisis
During COVID-19, Shinkansen ridership dropped to 10% of normal levels in April 2020. In response, Niwa’s team launched private Shinkansen rentals, leading to unique events like wrestling matches inside trains. These offerings continue to diversify travel demand.

Future of Mobility & Disaster Preparedness
Niwa believes face-to-face interaction remains essential, even with the rise of web conferencing, and foresees diverse mobility options emerging in the future.
JR Tokai is strengthening the Tokaido Shinkansen against extreme weather, simulating record-breaking rainfall in Aichi Prefecture and monitoring embankments for water distribution. The Linear Chuo Shinkansen is also seen as a critical backup route for large-scale earthquakes, including the Nankai Trough Earthquake.

Progress on the Linear Chuo Shinkansen
Discussions with Shizuoka Prefecture over water resources and ecological concerns have progressed under the new governor. JR Tokai remains committed to transparent and efficient communication with local communities.

Significance of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen
Niwa believes Japan’s core transportation will be stronger with the Shinkansen network dualized, leading to economic growth and innovation. He argues that physical mobility and digital communication can coexist, as face-to-face interactions remain key to business and creativity.

Born: 1964, Aichi Prefecture
Education: Graduated from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law
Career: Joined JR Tokai in 1989. Served as Head of the Human Resources Department, Head of the Public Relations Department, Head of the Corporate Planning Department, Vice President, and became President in April 2023.

info based on. https://www.msn.com/ja-jp/money/other/j ... elemetry=1 Accessed 2025-01-10