The Shinkansen, Japanese for "bullet train," forever changed transportation in Japan and in nearly two dozen countries around the world.
Japan's high-speed rail journey began in 1964, just before the Tokyo Olympics, with the opening of the Tokaido Shinkansen. This line connected the capital city with Osaka, covering 320 miles and revolutionizing rail travel by significantly shortening the journey, now reduced to 2.5 hours.
Today, Japan's nearly 2,000 miles of track connect major cities across three of the country's four main islands: Honshu, Kyushu, and Hokkaido. The high-speed rail network is the second most extensive in Asia among the top contenders globally.
Remarkably, no passengers have been killed in 60 years of Shinkansen operation, highlighting the system's safety.
The Tokaido Shinkansen was the first and remains the busiest line. Other key routes include the Sanyo Shinkansen, connecting Kansai with the western Chugoku region; the Tohoku Shinkansen, stretching from Kanto to the northern Tohoku region; the Joetsu Shinkansen, linking Kanto and the Chubu region on Honshu's west coast; and the Kyushu Shinkansen, which serves Japan's southwesternmost island of Kyushu.
The fastest train currently in operation in the archipelagic country is the Hayabusa Shinkansen, which runs on the Tohoku and Hokkaido lines, reaching speeds of up to 199 miles per hour.
A train is generally considered high-speed if it travels at least 124 mph on upgraded tracks or 155 mph on new tracks. Over 20 countries now have high-speed rail networks, including several in Europe and East Asia, as well as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Uzbekistan.
Shinkansen trains transport approximately 150 million passengers per year, reflecting its importance in Japan's transportation network.
The Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), which operates the Tokaido Shinkansen, is set to reclaim for Japan the bragging rights of having the world's fastest train for Japan with its L0 Series Maglev—which has been clocked at 375 mph during testing.
Superconducting magnetic levitation technology provides the train with less resistance and greater stability than older electromagnetic suspension systems. It is expected to enter service in 2027.
Japan's neighbors have also made strides in high-speed rail. South Korea launched its first high-speed rail line, the Seoul-Busan line, in 2004 and now has two operators and four lines totaling 542 miles. Taiwan's high-speed railway, operational since 2007, spans 217 miles of track to connect the island's north and south.
China, meanwhile, has built up the world's largest high-speed railway network in just two decades.
Japan's high-speed rail success may offer a valuable lesson to the U.S., which has for decades struggled to expand its own rail infrastructure.
Reports emerged in April that the Biden administration seeks to jump-start a high-speed rail project that would see Japanese bullet trains ferrying passengers between the Texas metropolises of Houston and Dallas.
The U.S. Department of Trade did not immediately respond to a written request for comment.
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