East Japan Railway : Notice Regarding the Application for Approval of the Revision of Commuter Pass Fares

September 16, 2022

East Japan Railway Company

Notice Regarding the Application for Approval of the Revision of

Commuter Pass Fares

• We have started a procedure to prepare for the introduction of off-peak commuter passes scheduled for March 2023 -

In view of the strong and rising need to avoid the three Cs (confined spaces, crowded places, and close contact) and ease congestion due to the spread of COVID-19, East Japan Railway Company (the "Company") plans to launch an "off-peak commuter pass" service in March 2023. This pass will allow commuters in the Tokyo metropolitan area to take trains at lower fares than the current level as long as they commute outside the peak hours in the morning.

At the same time, we plan to raise the fares of regular commuter passes slightly to create a price difference between the two types of commuter passes, while ensuring that our total revenue will not increase. Through the promotion of off-peak commuting with this fare revision, we will work to ease congestion by ensuring that the railway service will be used more evenly throughout the day.

Accordingly, the Company has submitted an application today for approval of the revision of commuter pass fares to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

1. What is the off-peak commuter pass?

The off-peak commuter pass is a Suica commuter pass that can be used only during hours outside peak hours on weekday mornings (i.e., off-peak hours) at a lower fare than the regular commuter pass.

Off-peak commuter pass
	* The time of use is determined as
		the time of entrance.

• Can be used as a commuter pass only during the hours outside the peak hours on weekday mornings.
• The regular IC fare is charged for use during peak hours.
• Attractively priced compared to regular commuter passes

Regular commuter passes

• Can be used all day like current commuter passes
• Prices will be slightly higher than now

			Exit:	Cannot be used as a pass
[Peak time]
	Enter
	(Regular IC fare is required separately)

[Off-peak time]				Exit: Can be used as a pass
	Enter

[All day]		Enter		Exit: Can be used as a pass

1. Scheduled date of release of off-peak commuter passes and date of fare revision March 2023
2. Applicable sections
   Any sections that are complete within the specified train service area in Tokyo (as shown in the chart below)

Omiya

Minami-Urawa

Toride

Oku-Tama

Musashi-Urawa

Akabane

Haijima

Shim-Matsudo

Musashi

-Itsukaichi

Ikebukuro

Nishi-

Tabata

Ueno

Hachioji

Kokubunji

Mitaka

Shinjuku

Nishi-Funabashi

Takao

Tachikawa

Ochanomizu

Fuchuhommachi

Tokyo

Ichikawa

shiohama

Osaki

Minami-

Funabashi

Mu

sashi-Ko

sugi

Hazawa

Shinagawa

yokohama-kokudai

Oi

Yokohama

Shitte

Nishi-

Chibaminato

Chiba

Higashi-

Tsurumi

Kawasaki

Kanagawa

Hama

-Kawasaki

Ofuna

Umi-Shibaura

Ogimachi

Okawa

Kurihama

• The off-peak commuter pass service will also apply to Suica commuter passes for a route that includes sections operated by other operators, provided that the use of JR East lines lies within the sections specified above. More information on this will be released separately.
• Specific peak hours applicable to each station will be determined based on the peak hours set for the purpose of our current "off-peak point service." More information on this will be released separately.

4. Commuter pass fare

• The off-peak commuter pass fare will be about 10% lower than the current level.
• Meanwhile, we have submitted an application for approval of an increase of 1.4% from the current levelfor fares of regular commuter passes for any sections that are complete within the specified train service area in Tokyo.

• The off-peak commuter pass service does not apply to student commuter passes. Therefore, there will be no change in the fares of student commuter passes from the current level.
• The off-peak commuter pass service does not apply to Green Car commuter passes and FREX (from Tokyo to Omiya, from Tokyo to Shin-Yokohama, etc.). However, as a result of the increase in the fares of regular commuter passes, their prices will also increase as they comprise the sum of the commuter pass fare and the applicable service surcharge.
• As explained above, the revision of the commuter pass fare will include both a fare reduction and a fare increase. However, our total revenue from commuter passes is not expected to increase as a result.
• From March 2023 onward, the selling prices of regular commuter passes and off-peak commuter passes will comprise the commuter pass fare explained above, plus the "railway station barrier- free fare" (280 yen for one month, 790 yen for three months, and 1,420 yen for six months). For details of the railway station barrier-free fare, please refer to our press release dated April 5, 2022 (from the link below).
  https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/press/2022/pdf/20220425.pdf