Japan Eyes World Rail Market

Japanese domestic train manufacturers are increasing production capacity in anticipation of increased global exports, according to the Japanese press.

Manufacturers have increased their efforts to create technologically advanced and lightweight trains with manufacturer Hitachi taking the lead in export sales, says Japan’s Yomiuri Online.

The emphasis on the international market is attributed in part to poor domestic train sales in Japan.

"Domestic train demand remains flat due to the shrinking birth-rate, so train manufacturers are inevitably required to find new markets abroad," the Japanese Association of Rolling Stock Industries told Yomiuri Online.

Japanese manufactured trains are largely built to comply with strict noise regulations, making them ideal for European cities.

Hitachi will supply 29 six-car units to the British Transport Ministry's Strategic Rail Authority this year before the "Bullet" train hits the UK market in 2009 for services connecting to the Olympic park, marking the debut of Japanese train technology in Britain.

By staff writer