To create a cheaper alternative to the expensive class 201, JNR ordered the class 205 in the early eighties. To save costs, it didn't get a modern Thyristor control, but a conventional resistor control. Within ten years, a total of 1,461 vehicles have been built. They were combined to sets of two to eleven cars and were soon split between JR East and JR West. As usual, half of the cars in each set or even more are powered by four traction motors with 120 kW each.

For lines with the greatest passenger numbers, cars with six doors per side instead of four have been built. These have automatically lockable folding seats which allow an all-standing layout at rush hours. Starting in 2002, some sets have been refurbished with modern IGBT converters. After withdrawal by JR West and JR East, a total of 102 sets with 812 cars were sold to KAI in Indonesia. Additionally, some sets came to the private Fuji Kyuko in Japan.