Japan Keeps Unused Train Station Functional for One Schoolgirl

This train stops for one student twice a day, when she leaves for school and when she returns home.

An unnamed girl is the only one picked up from a Japanese train station which was scheduled to be shut down. (Photo Courtesy: CCTV News’ Facebook Page)

For many years now, there has been only one passenger waiting at the Kami-Shirataki train station in the remote location of the northernmost island of Hokkaido, a rural Japanese town that has already lost 20 railway lines.

Kami-Shirataki station. (Photo Courtesy: CCTV News’ Facebook Page)

Japan Railways was ready to shut down the station when they noticed that this one high school girl was religiously using the train. The young high-schooler has a train stop only for her twice a day, once to pick her up and then to drop her off after her day at school is over.

Kami-Shirataki station. (Photo courtesy: CCTV News’ Facebook Page)

CCTV News reports that Japan Railways declared the station will remain open until she graduates. They even adjusted the train’s timetable according to the girl’s schedule.

The girl crossing the railway track. (Photo Courtesy: CCTV News’ Facebook Page)

Though Japan is facing a number of crises such as lack of housing, shrinking workforce and depleting birth-rate, people via Facebook are appreciating the Japanese government over this beautiful gesture of keeping education a top priority.

A screenshot of a comment left on the CCTV News post.

The unnamed girl is expected to graduate on March 26, 2016, which is when the station will finally be closed.