IRJ at the UIC High-Speed Rail World Congress, Tokyo: THE prime minister of Japan, Mr Shinzo Abe, addressed the 1200 delegates attending the opening session of the ninth UIC world congress on high-speed rail which opened in Tokyo on July 7.

REGULAR services on the 230km Hokuriku Shinkansen between Nagano and Kanazawa began on March 14 with hundreds of people turning out in Tokyo and Kanazawa to see the first trains depart.

Next month sees the launch of the latest addition to Japan's high-speed network with the start of commercial services on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Keith Barrow reports from Japan on the new line from Nagano to Kanazawa and plans for further extensions.

THE Japanese government has reached a deal to accelerate the construction of two Shinkansen lines, bringing forward completion by up to five years.

DYNAMIC testing of the first H5 train for the Hokkaido Shinkansen began on December 1, when the 10-car set made a number of runs between Nanae depot and the new Hokuto station in Hakodate, a distance of around 2km.

CONSTRUCTION of the first phase of JR Central's Chuo Shinkansen maglev project linking Tokyo and Nagoya has been approved by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT).

This month JR Central will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Tokaido Shinkansen, the world's first purpose-built high-speed railway. David Briginshaw explains the significance of this event and charts the development of the Shinkansen.

JR East and JR West have revealed the service pattern for the 228km Nagano – Kanazawa section of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, which is due to open on March 14 2015.

A CEREMONY was held at Toyama station on May 24 to mark the completion of tracklaying on the 228km Nagano – Kanazawa section of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, with around 60 dignitaries tightening bolts on the final section of rail.