Shinano Railway
The is a Japanese third-sector railway operating company established in 1996 to operate passenger railway services on the section of the JR East Shinetsu Main Line within Nagano Prefecture when it is separated from the JR East network in October 1997, coinciding with the opening of the Nagano Shinkansen (Hokuriku Shinkansen) from to . The company was founded on May 1, 1996, and has its headquarters in Ueda, Nagano. Shareholders. Shares in the company are owned by Nagano Prefecture, the cities of Nagano, Ueda, Komoro, Chikuma, Saku and Tōmi, the towns of Karuizawa, Miyota, Sakaki, Shinano, and Iizuna  and private-sector businesses. Lines. On October 1, 1997, the company took over control of local passenger operations on the 65.1 km section of the JR East Shinetsu Main Line between and . This section is called the Shinano Railway Line. From March 14, 2015, the company took over control of local passenger operations on the 37.3 km section of the JR East Shinetsu Main Line between and . This section is called the Kita-Shinano Line. History. The company was founded on May 1, 1996, and started railway business on the Shinano Railway Line on October 1, 1997. Shinano Railway The