[cilea]

I stayed in Shanghai, Tokyo, and Taipei over the summer last year. Taipei's metro is the best overall; certainly not as crowded as the other two. Convenience is about the same, i.e. payable by cash-loading debit cards. Tokyo's metro have gotten old. I honestly think, a couple of Tokyo's underground lines need to be replaced. Just remember, no food allowed in transit.

[lacampbell]

Taipeis metro blew my mind when I first encountered it as well. And yeap, no eating, no drinking water, and they also have signs telling you not to talk on your cellphone.

[MachinShinn-]

Don't expect much replacement in Tokyo. Japan is in maintenance mode as its population ages and shrinks over the next century.

[lacampbell]

Same will be true for China and Taiwan as well, very shortly. I hope for their sake they're paying close attention to how Japan has dealt with a shrinking population - Japan really has been the "pioneer" in a process that all countries will have to inevitably go through.