However, initially, the facilities were owned by the Shinkansen Holding Corporation, a third class railway enterprise, and each JR company operated the corresponding line or lines borrowing the railways as a second class railway operator.
しかしながら、当初設備は第3種鉄道事業者の「新幹線保有機構」が保有し、各会社が第2種鉄道事業者として路線を借り受けて運営する形とした。