List of defunct railway companies in Japan lists defunct Japanese railway operators. The list includes all types of railways, such as handcars, horsecars, trams, light railways, heavy rails, freight rails, industrial railways, monorails, new transit systems, or funiculars. Some companies are still active in other businesses, such as bus operation. Translated names might be tentative. "Former names" include those of preceding operators not directly related to their successors.
The list omits these types of operators:
- Type 1: Direct predecessor of surviving railway operator. (e.g. Meguro Kamata Electric Railway, the current Tokyu Corporation.)
- Type 2: Operator with lines largely succeeded by surviving railway operator. (e.g.