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Bullets and Trains: Exporting Japan's Shinkansen to China and Taiwan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 May 2025

Christopher P. Hood
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It is over forty years since the Shinkansen (‘bullet train‘) began operating between Tokyo and Osaka. Since then the network has expanded, but other countries, most notably France and Germany, have been developing their own high speed railways, too. As other countries, mainly in Asia, look to develop high speed railways, the battle over which country will win the lucrative contracts for them is on. It is not only a matter of railway technology. Political, economic & cultural influences are also at stake. This paper will look at these various aspects in relation to the export of the Shinkansen to China in light of previous Japanese attempts to export the Shinkansen and the situation in Taiwan.

Type
Research Article
Information
Asia-Pacific Journal , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , March 2007 , e2
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2007

References

Notes

(1) Hoshikawa, T. (ed.) (2003) Shinkansen Zenshi, TÅ⌷kyÅ⌷: Gakken, p.32-3; Oka, N. (1985) ‘The Unhappy Birth of a Tunnel’, Japan Quarterly, Vol. 32, No. 3, p.324-326.

(2) Hood, C.P., 2006, Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan, London: Routledge, p.22-7.

(3) Hood, C.P., 2006, Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan, London: Routledge, p.108-118.

(4) Hood, C.P., 2006, Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan, London: Routledge, p.132-3.

(5) Nehashi, A. (2001) ‘Shinkansen Technology for Export to Taiwan’, http://www.jef.or.jp/en/jti/200103_010.html accessed on 15 January 2003.

(6) Hood, C.P., 2006, Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan, London: Routledge, p.196-7.

(7) Hood, C.P., 2006, Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan, London: Routledge, p.197.

(8) Japan Airlines (2004) ‘World Top 11 City-Pairs’, SORA Data File.

(9) Okada, T. (2001) ‘Former President Lee's Support Decisive Factor behind Taiwan's Decision to Opt for Japan's Shinkansen in Island-Spanning Rail Project’, http://www.jef.or.jp/en/jti/200103_011.html accessed on 15 January 2003.

(10) Hood, C.P., 2006, Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan, London: Routledge, p.200.

(11) Okada, T. (2001) ‘Former President Lee's Support Decisive Factor behind Taiwan's Decision to Opt for Japan's Shinkansen in Island-Spanning Rail Project’, http://www.jef.or.jp/en/jti/200103_011.html accessed on 15 January 2003.

(12) Taipei Times, 17 March 2004.

(13) Hood, C.P., 2006, Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan, London: Routledge, p.206.