Sales of the Seishun 18 Ticket in fiscal 2025 fell to approximately 240,000, dropping below the pandemic-hit fiscal 2020 level, according to an inquiry with JR Kyushu. After recovering to 620,000 in fiscal 2023, sales plummeted to 420,000 in fiscal 2024 and 240,000 in fiscal 2025, with the drastic revision of usage conditions from winter 2024 seen as the main cause. The changes restricted use to five or three consecutive days and prohibited sharing among multiple people. JR East cited compatibility with automatic ticket gates as the reason, but user backlash has been strong. An online petition calling for a return to the previous system gathered 33,946 signatures, yet JR East refused to accept it. Economic journalist Izumi Kushida points to a gap between the needs perceived by the JR Group and actual user needs, warning that this could undermine the ticket's role in cultivating future rail passengers.
East Japan Railway CompanySeishun 18 Ticket sales plunge due to rule changes, reducing passenger demand for JR East services.
Kyushu Railway CompanySeishun 18 Ticket sales plunge due to rule changes, reducing passenger demand for JR Kyushu services.