Page "Rail transport in Japan" Paragraph 28

In the legal sense, there are two types ( with several subcategories ) of rail transportation systems in Japan: and.

Every public rail transportation system under the governmental regulation in Japan is classified either of railway or tramway.

In principle, trams lay tracks on the road and railways do not, but the choice may seem rather arbitrary in cases.

For example, Osaka Municipal Subway is a tram system while subways in other cities are railways.