A stray cat is helping to improve the popularity of a loss-making railway station in Japan.
The Wakayama Electric Railway had been gradually declining in profit, which resulted in the company greatly reducing the number of staff at the station.
Despite this, the tabby cat Tama continued to live at the station and is now accredited with helping to boost the station’s revenue by 10%.
Due to her job dedication she achieved national stardom last year when she was awarded the position of ‘station master’ at the unmanned station.
It is reported that she can now be found wearing a black cap and posing for photographs with passengers.
Since her appointment to ‘station master’ the popularity of the station has increased and passengers have returned to boost the numbers to 2.1 million per year.
Tama now has her own office in the station in the form of a disused ticket booth.
She also receives cat-food in lieu of a salary and now holds the fifth-highest position in the company.
Yoshiko Yamaki, a spokesperson for the company, believes that it is Tama’s character that has charmed the passengers.
She said: “Tama has patience and charisma and she is the perfect station master.”
Tama also allows the passengers to touch her, and is regularly obliging at being photographed.
Her popularity has become a national phenomenon, resulting in a range of merchandise centred around the station’s mascot, including a picture book entitled, ‘Diary of Tama: The Station Master’.
It is also reported that Tama will appear in a French documentary film about wonder cats from around the world, which is to be directed by Myriam Tonelotto.
