Future of trains delivering fresh onions across Japan uncertain

SAPPORO, Japan (Kyodo) -- The future of trains transporting fresh onions from Hokkaido, northern Japan, appears doubtful as a local train operator ponders the fate of its key route. This vital link, which shipped nearly 29,000 tons of onions in fiscal 2025, could impact consumers' access to seasonal produce at reasonable prices. Farmer Hideyuki Utagawa, representing about 20 percent of Japan's onion harvest, expressed delight at the favorable harvest this year, marking the first in four years.

Freight trains prove more efficient than trucks for transporting onions, carrying larger volumes at lower costs. Among the eight unprofitable routes under examination by Hokkaido Railway Co., the Abashiri to Shin-Asahikawa train service is crucial for moving onions from Kitami, the leading producer, to destinations across Japan via Sapporo, a major city in Hokkaido.

The railway company is grappling with strategies to keep these routes afloat, facing obstacles in its efforts to secure local government assistance for infrastructure maintenance, such as tracks and stations.

In fiscal 2025, trains nationwide transported 28,435 tons of onions, with 8,410 tons, or 29.6 percent, destined for Tokyo and its surrounding areas. The Kyushu region in the southwest of Japan accounted for roughly 5,945 tons, or 20.9 percent. An official from a freight company warned that without the local train route, delivering onions to the mainland would become impossible.

The eight routes under review generated a combined operating loss of 15.5 billion yen ($97.3 million) during fiscal 2025, with the Abashiri to Shin-Asahikawa line responsible for 5.2 billion yen.