Incidentally, the word 'Dentetsu' is a term coined by Ichizo KOBAYASHI because the then Japanese Government Railways (JGR) was opposed to the use of the term 'Denki Tetsudo (electric railway)' as a corporate name, based on the argument that this name was considered identical with 'electric tramways,' the term regulated by the Tramways Act; thereafter, the word 'Dentetsu' was conveniently adopted by various companies regulated by the Tramways Act when they intended to convert into rapid electric railways.
なお、「電鉄」という語は、「電気鉄道」という語を商号に使用することに、鉄道省があくまで軌道法準拠の「電気軌道」である事を根拠として難色を示したことから、対策として小林一三が考え出した語で、以後軌道法監督下の各社が高速電気鉄道への脱皮を図る際に有効活用されることとなった。