Centenary of the Japanese National Railways Issued on October 14, 1972 (Showa 47) The history of Japanese railways begins with the official opening of Japanese railways between Shimbashi Station and Yokohama Station in 1872 (Meiji 5). After that, in 1882 (Meiji 15), the "Nippon Railway" was opened by the semi-public and semi-private sector. The Railway Nationalization Act was promulgated in 1906 (Meiji 39), and the "Nippon Railway" was nationalized. In 1911, Japan's first domestic steam locomotive was manufactured. At that time, Japanese private railways (Keisei, Keio, Osaka Electric Railway, etc.) started operations. In the 1930s, Japanese railways were covered all over the country and reached a period of fulfillment. However, the Pacific War from 1941 to 1945 caused enormous damage to Japan's railway network. After the war, Japanese National Railways and private railways focused on the restoration of railways. In particular, the special demand caused by the Korean War in the 1950s accelerated its recovery and promoted electrification. The Tokaido Shinkansen was opened in 1964, and several Shinkansen lines were opened on the subsequent major railway lines. Japanese railways have made a great contribution to the development of the Japanese economy. In 1987, JNR was privatized with the aim of promoting business efficiency through denationalization and eliminating the cumulative deficit of 23 trillion yen.In March 1972, three types of stamps were issued to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the railway, and the Sanyo Shinkansen, C62 type steam locomotive, and Hiroshige III's "Railway Opening Map" were designed.