Q108   It is in response to this incident that the JR and private railway companies constructed new lines and started to increase the frequency of their services, isn't it?

A108   That is correct. Between 1975 and 2004, the frequency of trains running on railway lines in and around Tokyo was increased 1.7 fold, but massive overcrowding remains. The average commuting time of a typical salaried worker in the Tokyo area is more than one hour each way,  which causes the commuter who is crushed in a jampacked train to use up a great deal of energy before even getting to work.