This article covers the railways operated by the central government of Japan from 1872 to 1949 notwithstanding the official English name of the system of each era.

Early shareholders of the railway were members of the nobility, holding "the major portion of (the) capital".

[4] The governmental system was largely expanded by the promulgation of the Railway Nationalization Act in 1906.

In 1949, JGR was reorganized to become a state-owned public corporation named the Japanese National Railways.

As Japan is an island nation, it was noted that ocean-going vessels are a major source of competition for the freight business of the railway.

[9] One of the roles of the Japanese Government Railways was to attract foreign tourists to Japan.

The Board printed and distributed picture posters and English guidebooks overseas and encouraged development of resort hotels at home.