http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ShinkansenThe SHINKANSEN
Railways using Shinkansen technology are not limited to those in Japan.
Taiwan High Speed Rail operates 700T Series sets built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries.
The China Railways CRH2 EMU, built by a consortium formed of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, and Hitachi, is based on the E2-1000 Series design.
Class 395 EMUs were built by Hitachi based on Shinkansen technology for use on high-speed commuter services in Britain on the High Speed 1 line.
Japan is currently promoting its Shinkansen technology to the Government of Brazil for use on the planned high speed rail link system set to link Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Campinas.[10] On November 14, 2008, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva talked about this rail project. President Lula asked a consortium of Japanese companies to participate in the bidding process. Prime Minister Aso concurred on the bilateral cooperation to improve rail infrastructure in Brazil, including the Rio-São Paulo-Campinas high-speed rail line.[11] The Japanese consortium includes the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Mitsui & Co., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Toshiba.[12][13]
The U.S. Federal Railroad Administration is in talks with a number of countries with high speed rail, notably Japan, France and Spain. On May 16, 2009, FRA Deputy Chief Karen Rae expressed hope that Japan would offer its technical expertise to the United States. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood indicated interest in test riding the Japanese Shinkansen in 2009.[14][15]
On June 1, 2009, the Chairman of Central Japan Railway Company, Yoshiyuki Kasai, announced plans to export both the N-700 high speed train system and the JR-Maglev to international export markets, including the United States.[16]
Vietnam Railways will use Shinkansen technology for a high-speed rail link between the capital Hanoi and the southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City, according to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, citing an interview with Chief Executive Officer Nguyen Huu Bang. The Vietnamese government had already given basic approval for the Shinkansen system, although it still required financing and formal consent from the prime minister. Funding for the 56-billion-dollar project remained riddled with uncertainties, the report said, with Hanoi seeking Japanese Official Development Assistance and funds from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. The 1,560-kilometre (970 mile) line would replace the current colonial-era rail line. Vietnam hopes to launch the high-speed trains by 2020 and plans to start by building three sections, including a 90-kilometre stretch between the central coastal cities of Da Nang and Hue, seen as potentially most profitable. Vietnam Railways began dispatching engineers to Central Japan Railway Company for technical training. [17][18]
