ＪＲ東、定期券値上げ検討　割安の「オフピーク」新設―民営化後初

　ＪＲ東日本の深沢祐二社長は３日の記者会見で、定期券の値上げを検討する方針を明らかにした。詳細は今後詰めるが、定期券を含む運賃の値上げは消費税増税の影響を除き、１９８７年の国鉄分割民営化で同社が発足してから初めて。一方、ラッシュ時間帯は使えない代わりに割安な「オフピーク定期券」の新設も検討する。運賃に差をつけることで利用時間帯の分散を促す。
　ただ、運賃の値上げ改定には国土交通省の認可が必要となるため、いずれも実現には時間がかかりそうだ。
　新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大を受けて時差通勤や在宅勤務が拡大、定期券代の支給をやめる企業も出るなど、鉄道の利用状況も変わりつつある。深沢社長は会見で「コロナ収束後も元には戻らない」と述べ、抜本改革に取り組む考えを示した。（2020/09/03-20:08）

East Japan Railway Co. plans to consider raising prices of commuter passes, Yuji Fukasawa, president of the company, better known as JR East, has said.
   It would be the first time, except when the consumption tax rate was hiked, for JR East to raise train fares or commuter pass prices since the company was launched in 1987 through the breakup and privatization of the Japanese National Railways.
   But it will likely take time for the plan to be implemented, because approval from the transport ministry is required for railway fare hikes.
   JR East will also consider introducing "off-peak" commuter passes that cannot be used during rush hours, but instead are cheaper than conventional commuter passes, Fukasawa told a press conference on Thursday.
   The spread of the novel coronavirus has changed how people use trains, with many companies introducing or expanding staggered commuting and teleworking amid the epidemic. Some companies have even decided to stop providing employees with allowances to cover costs for commuter passes.