(Technological excellence of structural aspects and the advantages conferred by non-structural elements: Shinkansen [bullet trains] Lines—a high-speed rail system that is the pride of Japan)

The Shinkansen, Japan’s high-speed rail system, was launched with the opening of the Tokaido Shinkansen line in 1964. Since then, this system has compiled an extensive track record of excellence and can rightfully be described as one of Japan’s proudest achievements in terms of quality infrastructure. The Shinkansen’s main claims to superiority consist of the following (Figure 3-1-6):

(i) Safety: Over the course of fifty-one years of operations, there have been exactly zero incidents giving rise to passenger deaths. An earthquake-detection system has also been adopted.

(ii) Reliability: The Tokaido Shinkansen operates at a peak frequency of fifteen trains per hour; irrespective of this high frequency of operations, the average delay time is less than one minute.

(iii) Efficiency: Significantly, lightweight cars are employed. At the same time, tunnels and other civil engineering structures are small, which means that construction costs can be kept low.

It is understood that the superiority of the Shinkansen can be attributed to the technological excellence of trains, signal systems, and other structural elements. Superior expertise with respect to non-structural elements, such as operations and maintenance, has also contributed a great deal to the positive reputation earned by the Shinkansen.

In addition, the task of cleaning the interior sections of Shinkansen cars has drawn much attention in recent years. Shinkansen trains are given about twelve minutes to turn around at Tokyo Station. If we deduct the time needed by passengers to board and disembark, there are only seven minutes left to prepare a train for turning around while it remains at a standstill. During this time, each staff member takes over a car containing at least one hundred seats and proceeds to rotate the seats; clean the windows, tables, and aisles; change seating covers; and check for lost items. Furthermore, before a train arrives at a station, staff members line up in a single queue at the edge of the platform. They bow to each incoming train

and never fail to bow yet again to passengers getting on or off the train $ ^{62} $ . The accuracy, speed, and decorum of such work were featured and lauded in a CNN feature entitled Tokyo’s seven-minute miracle.

Japan’s Shinkansen system was first adopted overseas as a high-speed rail system traveling the length of Taiwan. Since operations began in 2007, high levels of safety and reliability have been maintained. The adoption of a Shinkansen system as a high-speed rail option for a national project is an expression of the trust that others place in Japanese infrastructure. In light of the large earthquake that struck Taiwan in 1999 and other considerations, the safety and robustness of Japan’s railway system were points that were taken into account by Taiwan when orders were being placed for Taiwan’s high-speed rail system. For the inauguration of this system, technical instructions were provided to Taiwanese workers and follow-up action was taken with respect to non-structural elements. By earning trust in Japan in such a cumulative manner, an agreement was reached in December 2015 between Japan and India that called for the introduction of a Shinkansen system for a high-speed rail line between Mumbai and Ahmadabad $ ^{63} $ . Japanese companies have been earning the trust of clients and successfully receiving orders in not just the field of high-speed railways but also in various other fields, including those that consist of urban railways, bridges, and other civil engineering projects.