Tokyo – Year 2014 is the 50th anniversary of the Tokaido Shinkansen, the world’s first high-speed railway, which started operation in October, 1964.

The Shinkansen’s high maximum speed of over 300km/h, outstanding safety record and average delay of only 30 seconds is now attracting strong global interest as one of the world’s most attractive high-speed rail systems.

Countries around the world seeking responses to global warming are viewing high-speed rail as a transport system with a light environmental footprint. Many countries are now planning high-speed rail systems and the competition for orders is intense. The Japanese railway companies operating the Shinkansen are now moving actively to promote the advantages of the Shinkansen technologies to the world.

The programme is presented by Anthony Robins, a British professor of the Aichi University of Education in Japan who also leads tours for railway fans coming to Japan.

How has Japan’s distinctive high-speed rail system achieved such high speeds, safety and punctuality? Robins explains the key points lucidly from the perspective of a knowledgeable foreign observer.

The programme also reported on the strategies of Japan’s railway companies for selling the Shinkansen technology to the world and also the latest state of play in that fierce competition for orders among the countries.