is open to passengers. 1 April 1973: Shin-Matsudo Station opens. 31 March 1978: With the extension of its tracks to Yoyogi-Uehara Station, the Chiyoda Line shares tracks with the Odakyu Odawara Line up to Hon-Atsugi Station. 203 series trains are introduced to run through service to the Chiyoda Line. 15 November 1982: Jōban Line Local Service extended from Abiko — Toride. 1 February 1984: Mito — Nakagawa freight line is closed. 14 March 1985: Bampaku-Chūō Station is temporarily opened (until September 16) for the Tsukuba Expo '85. The Uchigō-System-Ku is abolished. The Tokiwa express is discontinued. 1 April 1987: With the split of JNR, the Joban Line becomes part of JR East. 2 August 1988: Ōkuma signal box becomes Ōkuma Station. 11 March 1989: 651 series Super Hitachi limited-express EMUs enter service. 1 February 1993: Kanayama signal box is abolished. 10 February 1993: Takahira signal box is abolished. 3 December 1994: Taira Station is renamed Iwaki Station. 1 December 1995: E501 series begins service between Ueno and Tsuchiura. 1 October 1997: E653 series Fresh Hitachi limited-express EMUs enter service. 14 March 1998: Hitachino-Ushiku Station opens where Bampaku-Chūō Station used to stand. 7 December 1998: 485 series Hitachi limited-express EMUs are retired. 3 March 2002: New E231 series EMUs introduced on commuter services. 13 March 2004: Kawajiri Station is renamed Jūō Station. Regular trains begin making stops at Mikawashima and Minami-Senju Stations throughout the day. 16 October 2004: Medium-distance trains are called rapid trains for the section between Ueno and Toride. 9 July 2005: New E531 series dual-voltage EMUs enter service on line. Special Rapid Service begins between Ueno — Tsuchiura. Commuter Rapid service from Ueno ends. One Commuter Rapid service still runs from Mito to Ueno. 17 March 2006: All Commuter Rapid Service ends. 15 May 2006: Women-only cars introduced on Joban Local Line trains [7:10 – 9:30 AM measured by the time the trains pass through Ayase station] from Toride running through to Yoyogi-Uehara on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line. 6 January 2007: Double-deck Green cars are phased in on E531 series EMUs running between Ueno and Takahagi. No Green car supplement is required until the start of the new timetable on 2007-03-18. 21 February 2007: E501 series EMUs removed from Ueno – Tsuchiura services. 18 March 2007: Full Green car service commences on E531 series EMUs running between Ueno and Takahagi; E501 series EMUs reassigned to Mito Line