How Japan Left an Old Train Station Open for Three Years Just for One Student: A Lesson for African Countries

Harada Kana, the lone Japanese train-rider waiting to be picked up Hokkaido Railways Company, a Japanese railway company, did the unthinkable when they relegated their institutional and profit-oriented goals for the sake of a young female high school student, Harada Kana. Initially, the ridership to the remote Kyu-Shirataki station declined to a level where only the female student became the company’s routine client. The decline in the ridership to the Kyu-Shirataki station was attributable to the remoteness of the station as well as the low population in that remote part of Japan. From a business angle, it was unfeasible to ferry only one passenger day in, day out. However, Hokkaido Railway Company did not shut down its services for the sake of the young secondary school student; hence, facilitating Harada to complete her high school education. The train that was assigned to pick Harada picked her up twice a day, for three years, until she completed all of her high school stud