{"id":37216,"date":"2024-10-23T13:10:41","date_gmt":"2024-10-23T20:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=37216"},"modified":"2024-10-23T13:10:42","modified_gmt":"2024-10-23T20:10:42","slug":"how-japans-shinkansen-bullet-trains-changed-the-world-of-rail-travel-forever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2024\/10\/23\/how-japans-shinkansen-bullet-trains-changed-the-world-of-rail-travel-forever\/","title":{"rendered":"How Japan\u2019s Shinkansen bullet trains changed the world of rail travel forever"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><section class=\"layout__top layout-with-rail__top\" data-editable=\"top\" data-track-zone=\"top\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; margin: 0px auto; padding: 32px 32px 0px; width: 1265px; max-width: 1440px; min-width: 300px; flex-wrap: nowrap; font-family: cnn_sans_display, helveticaneue, Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif; font-size: medium; 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-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; float: left; padding-right: 4px;\"><\/div><div class=\"byline__names\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;\">By Ben Jones, CNN<\/div><\/div><div class=\"headline__byline-sub-text\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-flex;\"><div class=\"headline__sub-description\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 2px 4px 0px 0px;\">\u00a0<span style=\"background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); color: var(--appr-color-text-tertiary); font-family: var(--theme-font-family-ui); font-size: var(--appr-font-size-ui-sm); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none);\">Published 12:46 AM EDT, Tue October 1, 2024<\/span><svg class=\"icon-social-facebook\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\u00a0(CNN.com<\/svg><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"headline__options headline__options--has-more\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; 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-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"605\" width=\"1075\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-2153536533-copy.jpg?c=16x9&amp;q=h_605,w_1075,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"833\" width=\"1480\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-2153536533-copy.jpg?c=16x9&amp;q=h_833,w_1480,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"1067\" width=\"1600\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 851px; object-fit: cover; height: 479.047px;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-2153536533-copy.jpg?c=16x9&amp;q=h_833,w_1480,c_fill\" alt=\"A &quot;shinkansen&quot;, or high-speed bullet train, passes along the tracks above traffic on the streets below, near Shimbashi station in central Tokyo on May 22, 2024.\"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; max-width: 676px; margin: 8px auto 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); padding-bottom: 8px;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 4px; order: 2; display: inline;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\">A &#8220;shinkansen&#8221;, or high-speed bullet train, passes along the tracks above traffic on the streets below, near Shimbashi station in central Tokyo on May 22, 2024.<\/span>\u00a0<\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: visible; padding: 4px 0px; line-height: 20px; display: inline;\">RICHARD A. BROOKS\/AFP\/AFP via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"article__content-container\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><div class=\"article__content\" data-editable=\"content\" itemprop=\"articleBody\" data-reorderable=\"content\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; z-index: 1; margin-right: 0px; width: 851px; max-width: 910px;\"><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/source\/instances\/cm1ioh9b5000lhyqlfmtz2xrl@published\" data-component-name=\"source\" class=\"source inline-placeholder\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-weight: 700; float: left; z-index: 1; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\"><cite class=\"source__cite\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-style: normal; line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height--from-small); display: flex; flex-direction: row;\"><span class=\"source__location\" data-editable=\"location\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-flex; margin-right: 0px;\"><\/span><span class=\"source__text\" data-editable=\"source\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-flex;\">CNN<\/span>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/cite><\/div><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioh9b5000mhyqlbp2282ih@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Sixty years ago, early in the morning of October 1, 1964, a sleek blue and white train slid effortlessly across the urban sprawl of Tokyo, its elevated tracks carrying it south toward the city of Osaka and a place in the history books.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj00073b6kqizws1bp@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">This was the dawn of\u00a0Japan\u2019s\u00a0\u201cbullet train\u201d era, widely regarded as the defining symbol of the country\u2019s astonishing recovery from the trauma of World War II. In tandem with the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, this technological marvel of the 1960s marked the country\u2019s return to the top table of the international community.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj00083b6k9bxw36gy@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">In the six decades since that first train, the word Shinkansen \u2013 meaning \u201cnew trunk line\u201d \u2013 has become an internationally recognized byword for speed,\u00a0travel\u00a0efficiency and modernity.<\/p><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/related-content\/instances\/cm1pszayr00063b6k3qd5tv2x@published\" data-component-name=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content_full-width related-content_full-width--article\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; width: 676px; margin: 32px 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); padding: 12px 0px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\"><a class=\"related-content_full-width__link\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; text-decoration-line: none; color: inherit; align-items: flex-start; flex-direction: row;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/private-rooms-japan-bullet-trains-intl-hnk\"><div class=\"related-content_full-width__image image__related-content\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 209px; height: fit-content; position: relative; margin-right: 12px;\"><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/clvd7d0jq001ee0pd1amdd69a@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"000043528.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.56875\" data-original-height=\"910\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/000043528.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 209px;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; margin-bottom: 0px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 209px; display: flex; height: unset;\"><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"910\" width=\"1600\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 209px; object-fit: cover; height: 117.562px;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/000043528.jpg?c=16x9&amp;q=h_144,w_256,c_fill\" alt=\"This photo illustration shows a private rooms on the Tokaido Shinkansen.\"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: grid;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><p class=\"related-content_full-width__headline\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; flex: 1 1 0%; display: flex; flex-direction: column;\"><span class=\"related-content_full-width__title-text\" data-editable=\"content.title\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; text-transform: uppercase; min-height: 14px; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700;\">RELATED ARTICLE<\/span><span class=\"related-content_full-width__headline-text\" data-editable=\"content.headline\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); display: block; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 20px;\">Private rooms coming to some of Japan\u2019s bullet trains<\/span><\/p><\/a><\/div><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj00093b6k0q0mydrf@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Japan remains a world leader in rail technology. Mighty conglomerates such as Hitachi and Toshiba export billions of dollars worth of trains and equipment all over the world every year.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000a3b6kw7l8izvp@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">The Shinkansen network has expanded steadily since the 320-mile Tokaido line, linking Tokyo and Shin-Osaka was completed in 1964. Trains run at up to 200 mph (about 322 kph) on routes radiating out from the capital \u2013 heading north, south and west to cities such as Kobe, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Nagano.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000b3b6kepywmuqa@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">As well as a symbol of recovery, Shinkansen have been used as a tool for Japan\u2019s continuing economic development and an agent of change in a country bound by convention and tradition.<\/p><h2 class=\"subheader inline-placeholder\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/cm1ioiic2001y3b6k5o4d9wf2@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"pushing-the-boundaries\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-family: var(--theme-subheader__font-family); font-weight: var(--theme-subheader__font-weight); clear: inherit; padding: 16px 0px 8px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: var(--theme-subheader-h2__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-subheader-h2__line-height); max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Pushing the boundaries<\/h2><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cm1j9ubex00022e6a3xjf4gr0@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"Bullet train fuji AFP-AFP via Getty Images-8\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126154941-bullet-train-fuji-afp-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border-bottom: 0px; margin: 32px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; width: 851px;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; margin-bottom: auto;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126154941-bullet-train-fuji-afp-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126154941-bullet-train-fuji-afp-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?q=w_1015,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126154941-bullet-train-fuji-afp-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?q=w_1160,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126154941-bullet-train-fuji-afp-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?q=w_680,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 851px; object-fit: cover; height: 478.391px;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126154941-bullet-train-fuji-afp-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\" alt=\"A Shinkansen train speeds past Mount Fuji.\"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; max-width: 676px; margin: 8px auto 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); padding-bottom: 8px;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 4px; order: 2; display: inline;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\">A Shinkansen train speeds past Mount Fuji.<\/span>\u00a0<\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: visible; padding: 4px 0px; line-height: 20px; display: inline;\">AFP\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000f3b6ksmo5pwud@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Its development owes a great deal to Japan\u2019s early railway history. Rather than the 4ft 8.5in \u201cstandard\u201d gauge used in North America and much of Europe, a narrower gauge of 3ft 6in was chosen.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000g3b6khlvo7svl@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Although this was cheaper and easier to build through mountainous terrain, capacity was limited and speeds were low.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000h3b6k8byprzj1@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">With Japan\u2019s four main islands stretching around 1,800 miles (nearly 3,000 kilometers) from end to end, journeys between the main cities were long and often tortuous.<\/p><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/related-content\/instances\/cm1pt0ucc00083b6kbj7pth6p@published\" data-component-name=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content_full-width related-content_full-width--article\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; width: 676px; margin: 32px 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); padding: 12px 0px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\"><a class=\"related-content_full-width__link\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; text-decoration-line: none; color: inherit; align-items: flex-start; flex-direction: row;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/bullet-train-expansion-japan-hokuriku\"><div class=\"related-content_full-width__image image__related-content\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 209px; height: fit-content; position: relative; margin-right: 12px;\"><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/clqc5qxj8002sa1ow3t7lg95q@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"GettyImages-1701288290.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.674054054054054\" data-original-height=\"1247\" data-original-width=\"1850\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-1701288290.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 209px;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; margin-bottom: 0px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 209px; display: flex; height: unset;\"><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"1247\" width=\"1850\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 209px; object-fit: cover; height: 117.562px;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-1701288290.jpg?c=16x9&amp;q=h_144,w_256,c_fill\" alt=\"Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train making a trial run in Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan, on Oct. 1, 2023, ahead of a new section opening. (Photo by Kyodo News via Getty Images)\"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: grid;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><p class=\"related-content_full-width__headline\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; flex: 1 1 0%; display: flex; flex-direction: column;\"><span class=\"related-content_full-width__title-text\" data-editable=\"content.title\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; text-transform: uppercase; min-height: 14px; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700;\">RELATED ARTICLE<\/span><span class=\"related-content_full-width__headline-text\" data-editable=\"content.headline\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); display: block; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 20px;\">New bullet train route makes it easier than ever to visit Japan\u2019s stunning Hokuriku region<\/span><\/p><\/a><\/div><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000i3b6ku3iybage@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">In 1889, the journey time from Tokyo to Osaka was 16 and a half hours by train \u2013 better than the two to three weeks it had taken on foot only a few years earlier. By 1965, it was just three hours and 10 minutes via the Shinkansen.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000j3b6kfvbsa2rh@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Demands for a \u201cstandard gauge\u201d rail network started in the 20th century, but it was not until the 1940s that work started in earnest as part of an ambitious Asian \u201cloop line\u201d project to connect Japan to Korea and Russia via tunnels under the Pacific Ocean.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000k3b6kda9dinma@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Defeat in World War II meant that plans for the new railroad were shelved until the mid-1950s, when the Japanese economy was recovering strongly and better communications between its main cities was becoming essential.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000l3b6kws21dww3@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Although much of the network serves the most populous regions of Honshu, the largest of Japan\u2019s islands, lengthy sea tunnels allow bullet trains to run hundreds of miles through to Kyushu in the far south and Hokkaido in the north.<\/p><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cm1jan0i200042e6aycrxmd8v@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"20192111_japan_bullet_train_routes_map_desktop_634.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.952755905511811\" data-original-height=\"605\" data-original-width=\"635\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/20192111-japan-bullet-train-routes-map-desktop-634.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border-bottom: 0px; margin: 32px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; width: 851px;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; margin-bottom: auto;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"605\" width=\"635\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/20192111-japan-bullet-train-routes-map-desktop-634.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"605\" width=\"635\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/20192111-japan-bullet-train-routes-map-desktop-634.jpg?q=w_1015,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"605\" width=\"635\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/20192111-japan-bullet-train-routes-map-desktop-634.jpg?q=w_1160,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"605\" width=\"635\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/20192111-japan-bullet-train-routes-map-desktop-634.jpg?q=w_680,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"605\" width=\"635\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 851px; object-fit: cover; height: 811.125px;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/20192111-japan-bullet-train-routes-map-desktop-634.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\" alt=\"A map of Japan's high-speed rail lines.\"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; max-width: 676px; margin: 8px auto 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); padding-bottom: 8px;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 4px; order: 2; display: inline;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\">A map of Japan&#8217;s high-speed rail lines.<\/span>\u00a0<\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: visible; padding: 4px 0px; line-height: 20px; display: inline;\">jrailpass.com<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000m3b6kwqyrwf7r@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Japan\u2019s challenging topography and its widely varying climates, from the freezing winters of the north to the tropical humidity farther south, have made Japanese railroad engineers world leaders at finding solutions to new problems as they push the boundaries of rail technology.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000n3b6kgji52pbg@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Not least of these is seismic activity. Japan is one of the most geologically unstable places on the planet, prone to earthquakes and tsunamis and home to around 10% of the world\u2019s volcanoes.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000o3b6kx7ziv7ii@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">While this provides arguably the defining image of the Shinkansen \u2013 a high-tech modern train flashing past the snow-capped Mount Fuji \u2013 it also makes the safe operation of high-speed trains much more difficult.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000p3b6kmpmtb5ki@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Despite these factors, not a single passenger has ever been killed or injured on the Shinkansen network due to derailments over its history.<\/p><h2 class=\"subheader inline-placeholder\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/cm1ios8je002q3b6k3esy1bqr@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"japans-high-speed-rail-revolution\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-family: var(--theme-subheader__font-family); font-weight: var(--theme-subheader__font-weight); clear: inherit; padding: 16px 0px 8px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: var(--theme-subheader-h2__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-subheader-h2__line-height); max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Japan\u2019s high-speed rail revolution<\/h2><div class=\"gallery-inline\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/gallery-inline\/instances\/cm1jbyif9000i2e6aui7n9zyr@published\" data-headline=\"Japan\\'s high-speed rail revolution\" data-analytics-enabled=\"true\" data-analytics-aggregate-events=\"true\" data-component-variation=\"gallery-inline\" data-edit-mode=\"\" data-items-layout=\"list\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; position: relative; clear: both; overflow: hidden; margin-bottom: 32px; height: 537px;\"><div class=\"gallery-inline__main\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><div class=\"gallery-inline__container\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><div class=\"gallery-inline__slides gallery-inline__slides--transitioning\" data-editable=\"slides\" data-reorderable-component=\"slides\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; position: relative; transition: all 0.6s cubic-bezier(0.52, 0.005, 0, 1.005) 0s; left: -1437.07px;\"><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-28fb3016917130d9644c0dbfca3c3275@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"China high speed train\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6665581243894497\" data-original-height=\"2047\" data-original-width=\"3071\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_3071,h_2047,x_0,y_0,c_fill\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 671px; height: 447px; opacity: 0.25; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_3071,h_2047,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_447\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_3071,h_2047,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_304\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_3071,h_2047,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_246\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_3071,h_2047,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_185\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"2047\" width=\"3071\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_3071,h_2047,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_447\" alt=\"<strong&gt;China's rail expansion:<\/strong&gt; China has now eclipsed the rest of the world when it comes to high speed rail. The country has 18,000 miles of track capable of carrying fast trains to all corners. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: hidden; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 4px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/strong><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin-top: 4px; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: hidden; margin-left: auto; min-height: 12px; padding: 0px;\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-3bdaf48920459043059a4d02c8fdb2fb@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"ALFA X\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"2160\" data-original-width=\"3840\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0,c_fill\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 795px; height: 447px; opacity: 0.25; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_447\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_304\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_246\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_185\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"2160\" width=\"3840\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_447\" alt=\"<strong&gt;ALFA-X:<\/strong&gt; The next generation of bullet trains, known as ALFA-X, is currently being tested at speeds of almost 250 mph (400 kph), although the service maximum will be &quot;only&quot; 225 mph. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: hidden; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 4px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/strong><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin-top: 4px; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: hidden; margin-left: auto; min-height: 12px; padding: 0px;\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-ffb8ff45a23b547b97dd0c00e4eae86a@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small image--active\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"hayabusa YOSHIKAZU TSUNO-AFP via Getty Images-8\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126155528-hayabusa-yoshikazu-tsuno-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 795px; height: 447px; opacity: 1; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; margin-bottom: auto; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126155528-hayabusa-yoshikazu-tsuno-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126155528-hayabusa-yoshikazu-tsuno-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_304,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126155528-hayabusa-yoshikazu-tsuno-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_246,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126155528-hayabusa-yoshikazu-tsuno-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_185,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126155528-hayabusa-yoshikazu-tsuno-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\" alt=\"<strong&gt;Fast train: <\/strong&gt;Japan's distinctive Shinkansen &quot;bullet trains&quot; have been plying the country's high-speed railways since 1964. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: visible; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute; left: 1437.07px;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 32px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\">Fast train:\u00a0<\/strong>Japan&#8217;s distinctive Shinkansen &#8220;bullet trains&#8221; have been plying the country&#8217;s high-speed railways since 1964.<\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: visible; padding: 0px; line-height: 12px; min-height: 12px;\">Yoshikazu Tsuno\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-df937692134ad67a7ff261d17d646dc5@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"shinkansen 1965 getty hulton-8\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126150807-shinkansen-1965-getty-hulton-8.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 795px; height: 447px; opacity: 0.25; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; margin-bottom: auto; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126150807-shinkansen-1965-getty-hulton-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126150807-shinkansen-1965-getty-hulton-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_304,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126150807-shinkansen-1965-getty-hulton-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_246,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126150807-shinkansen-1965-getty-hulton-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_185,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126150807-shinkansen-1965-getty-hulton-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\" alt=\"<strong&gt;New age:<\/strong&gt; The arrival of the bullet trains, coupled with the Tokyo OIympics of 1964 helped signal the arrival of modern Japan after the country's defeat in World War II. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: hidden; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 32px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/strong><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: hidden; padding: 0px; line-height: 12px; min-height: 12px;\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-39c940ec4c44a65b6f63d4f99bb490c3@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"bullet train getty keystone-8\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126151645-bullet-train-getty-keystone-8.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 794.656px; height: 447px; opacity: 0.25; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; margin-bottom: auto; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126151645-bullet-train-getty-keystone-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126151645-bullet-train-getty-keystone-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_304,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126151645-bullet-train-getty-keystone-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_246,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126151645-bullet-train-getty-keystone-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_185,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img image__dam-img--loading\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; background-color: rgb(230, 230, 230); max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126151645-bullet-train-getty-keystone-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\" alt=\"<strong&gt;First trains: <\/strong&gt;The arrival of the bullet trains meant that the travel time between Tokyo and Osaka shrank to just over three hours. Subsequent generations of Shinkansen would reduce it further. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: hidden; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 32px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/strong><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: hidden; padding: 0px; line-height: 12px; min-height: 12px;\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-ccbb6d3707e5b77263d34d6d05296a2d@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"bullet train JIJI PRESS-AFP via Getty Images-8\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126153753-bullet-train-jiji-press-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 794.656px; height: 447px; opacity: 0.25; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; margin-bottom: auto; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126153753-bullet-train-jiji-press-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126153753-bullet-train-jiji-press-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_304,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126153753-bullet-train-jiji-press-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_246,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126153753-bullet-train-jiji-press-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_185,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img image__dam-img--loading\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; background-color: rgb(230, 230, 230); max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126153753-bullet-train-jiji-press-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\" alt=\"<strong&gt;Asama: <\/strong&gt;This Shinkansen train, known as Asama, was introduced for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Japan. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: hidden; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 32px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/strong><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: hidden; padding: 0px; line-height: 12px; min-height: 12px;\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-7dc2214b8f49673641d47c689531d2b4@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"bullet train last of the old trainsSTR-AFP via Getty Image-8\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126160308-bullet-train-last-of-the-old-trainsstr-afp-via-getty-image-8.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 794.656px; height: 447px; opacity: 0.25; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; margin-bottom: auto; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126160308-bullet-train-last-of-the-old-trainsstr-afp-via-getty-image-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126160308-bullet-train-last-of-the-old-trainsstr-afp-via-getty-image-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_304,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126160308-bullet-train-last-of-the-old-trainsstr-afp-via-getty-image-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_246,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126160308-bullet-train-last-of-the-old-trainsstr-afp-via-getty-image-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_185,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img image__dam-img--loading\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; background-color: rgb(230, 230, 230); max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126160308-bullet-train-last-of-the-old-trainsstr-afp-via-getty-image-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\" alt=\"<strong&gt;Built to last: <\/strong&gt;The last train of the first generation Shinkansen bows out of service in 2008. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: hidden; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 32px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/strong><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: hidden; padding: 0px; line-height: 12px; min-height: 12px;\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-c67df3989969b86fc6f896fe13b8f011@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"Hello Kitty Shinkansen IMG_\u5916\u89b3\u2461 (NXPowerLite)\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/180627122535-hello-kitty-shinkansen-img-nxpowerlite.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 794.656px; height: 447px; opacity: 0.25; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; margin-bottom: auto; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/180627122535-hello-kitty-shinkansen-img-nxpowerlite.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/180627122535-hello-kitty-shinkansen-img-nxpowerlite.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_304,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/180627122535-hello-kitty-shinkansen-img-nxpowerlite.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_246,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/180627122535-hello-kitty-shinkansen-img-nxpowerlite.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_185,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img image__dam-img--loading\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; background-color: rgb(230, 230, 230); max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/180627122535-hello-kitty-shinkansen-img-nxpowerlite.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\" alt=\"<strong&gt;Hello Kitty:<\/strong&gt; Possibly the most Japanese thing ever created -- a Hello Kitty-themed bullet train. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: hidden; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 32px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/strong><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: hidden; padding: 0px; line-height: 12px; min-height: 12px;\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-3f2c60d3dfca989f72da9ed79fe7204a@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"Bullet train fuji AFP-AFP via Getty Images-8\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126154941-bullet-train-fuji-afp-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 794.656px; height: 447px; opacity: 0.25; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; margin-bottom: auto; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126154941-bullet-train-fuji-afp-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126154941-bullet-train-fuji-afp-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_304,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126154941-bullet-train-fuji-afp-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_246,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126154941-bullet-train-fuji-afp-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_185,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img image__dam-img--loading\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; background-color: rgb(230, 230, 230); max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126154941-bullet-train-fuji-afp-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\" alt=\"<strong&gt;Fuji drive by:<\/strong&gt; And one of the most Japanese scenes ever created -- a bullet train whizzing by Mount Fuji.\"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: hidden; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 32px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/strong><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: hidden; padding: 0px; line-height: 12px; min-height: 12px;\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-e0b62e2d73dd2ebf39093d66727b2242@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"bullet train snow TORU YAMANAKA-AFP via Getty Image-8\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126160747-bullet-train-snow-toru-yamanaka-afp-via-getty-image-8.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 794.656px; height: 447px; opacity: 0.25; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; margin-bottom: auto; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126160747-bullet-train-snow-toru-yamanaka-afp-via-getty-image-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126160747-bullet-train-snow-toru-yamanaka-afp-via-getty-image-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_304,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126160747-bullet-train-snow-toru-yamanaka-afp-via-getty-image-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_246,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126160747-bullet-train-snow-toru-yamanaka-afp-via-getty-image-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_185,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img image__dam-img--loading\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; background-color: rgb(230, 230, 230); max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126160747-bullet-train-snow-toru-yamanaka-afp-via-getty-image-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\" alt=\"<strong&gt;In all kinds of weather: <\/strong&gt;In creating the bullet train, Japan's engineers needed to build a rail system that could cope with the county's climatic extremes. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: hidden; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 32px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/strong><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: hidden; padding: 0px; line-height: 12px; min-height: 12px;\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-4fdef19977cbafb9dc6d584ad01fb90b@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"TGV train\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6665271966527196\" data-original-height=\"3186\" data-original-width=\"4780\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172316-tgv-train.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 670.625px; height: 447px; opacity: 0.25; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; margin-bottom: auto; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172316-tgv-train.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172316-tgv-train.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_304,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172316-tgv-train.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_246,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172316-tgv-train.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_185,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"3186\" width=\"4780\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img image__dam-img--loading\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; background-color: rgb(230, 230, 230); max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172316-tgv-train.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\" alt=\"<strong&gt;TGV: <\/strong&gt;France's answer to the Bullet Train, the Train \u00e0 Grand Vitesse, began operating between Paris and Lyon in 1981. Today's TGV trains typically run at about 200 mph. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: hidden; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 32px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/strong><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: hidden; padding: 0px; line-height: 12px; min-height: 12px;\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-28fb3016917130d9644c0dbfca3c3275@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"China high speed train\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6665581243894497\" data-original-height=\"2047\" data-original-width=\"3071\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_3071,h_2047,x_0,y_0,c_fill\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 671px; height: 447px; opacity: 0.25; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; margin-bottom: auto; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_3071,h_2047,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_447\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_3071,h_2047,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_304\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_3071,h_2047,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_246\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_3071,h_2047,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_185\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"2047\" width=\"3071\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_3071,h_2047,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_447\" alt=\"<strong&gt;China's rail expansion:<\/strong&gt; China has now eclipsed the rest of the world when it comes to high speed rail. The country has 18,000 miles of track capable of carrying fast trains to all corners. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: hidden; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 32px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/strong><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: hidden; padding: 0px; line-height: 12px; min-height: 12px;\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-3bdaf48920459043059a4d02c8fdb2fb@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"ALFA X\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"2160\" data-original-width=\"3840\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0,c_fill\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 795px; height: 447px; opacity: 0.25; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; margin-bottom: auto; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_447\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_304\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_246\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_185\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"2160\" width=\"3840\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0,c_fill\/h_447\" alt=\"<strong&gt;ALFA-X:<\/strong&gt; The next generation of bullet trains, known as ALFA-X, is currently being tested at speeds of almost 250 mph (400 kph), although the service maximum will be &quot;only&quot; 225 mph. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: hidden; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 32px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/strong><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: hidden; padding: 0px; line-height: 12px; min-height: 12px;\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-ffb8ff45a23b547b97dd0c00e4eae86a@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"hayabusa YOSHIKAZU TSUNO-AFP via Getty Images-8\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126155528-hayabusa-yoshikazu-tsuno-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 795px; height: 447px; opacity: 0.25; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126155528-hayabusa-yoshikazu-tsuno-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126155528-hayabusa-yoshikazu-tsuno-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_304,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126155528-hayabusa-yoshikazu-tsuno-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_246,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126155528-hayabusa-yoshikazu-tsuno-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_185,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126155528-hayabusa-yoshikazu-tsuno-afp-via-getty-images-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\" alt=\"<strong&gt;Fast train: <\/strong&gt;Japan's distinctive Shinkansen &quot;bullet trains&quot; have been plying the country's high-speed railways since 1964. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: hidden; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 4px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/strong><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin-top: 4px; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: hidden; margin-left: auto; min-height: 12px; padding: 0px;\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/image-df937692134ad67a7ff261d17d646dc5@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"shinkansen 1965 getty hulton-8\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126150807-shinkansen-1965-getty-hulton-8.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 795px; height: 447px; opacity: 0.25; pointer-events: none; display: inline-block;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: inline-block; height: 447px;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"447\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126150807-shinkansen-1965-getty-hulton-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"304\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126150807-shinkansen-1965-getty-hulton-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_304,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"246\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126150807-shinkansen-1965-getty-hulton-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_246,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"185\" width=\"undefined\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126150807-shinkansen-1965-getty-hulton-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_185,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: auto; object-fit: cover; height: 447px; max-height: 100%; top: 223.5px; transform: translateY(-50%); position: relative;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126150807-shinkansen-1965-getty-hulton-8.jpg?c=original&amp;q=h_447,c_fill\" alt=\"<strong&gt;New age:<\/strong&gt; The arrival of the bullet trains, coupled with the Tokyo OIympics of 1964 helped signal the arrival of modern Japan after the country's defeat in World War II. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; visibility: hidden; width: 851px; pointer-events: auto; position: absolute;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 4px; order: 2; width: 680.797px; min-height: 32px; z-index: 99;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/strong><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 10px; margin-top: 4px; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: hidden; margin-left: auto; min-height: 12px; padding: 0px;\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div><button aria-controls=\"imageGallerySlideWrapper\" aria-label=\"view previous image\" class=\"gallery-inline__prev-overlay\" data-analytics-prop-click-action=\"button-previous-image\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; left: 0px; width: 425.5px; height: 447px; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; touch-action: manipulation; position: absolute; top: 0px; border-width: initial; border-style: none; border-color: initial; cursor: pointer; user-select: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;\"><\/button><button aria-controls=\"imageGallerySlideWrapper\" aria-label=\"view next image\" class=\"gallery-inline__next-overlay\" data-analytics-prop-click-action=\"button-next-image\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; left: 425.5px; width: 425.5px; height: 447px; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; touch-action: manipulation; position: absolute; top: 0px; border-width: initial; border-style: none; border-color: initial; cursor: pointer; user-select: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;\"><\/button><\/div><h5 class=\"gallery-inline__headline\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-family: cnntravel, Palatino, Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-weight: 400; width: 510.594px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 5px 0px 8px;\">Japan&#8217;s high-speed rail revolution<\/h5><div class=\"gallery-inline__counter\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-weight: 700; font-size: 12px; position: relative; transition: all 0.1s ease 0s; top: 0px;\">1 of 11<\/div><div class=\"gallery-inline__controls\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; position: relative; right: 0px; display: flex; transition: all 0.1s ease 0s; top: 0px; justify-content: flex-end;\"><button aria-controls=\"imageGallerySlideWrapper\" aria-label=\"view previous image\" class=\"gallery-inline__prev\" data-analytics-prop-click-action=\"button-previous-image\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border-width: initial; border-style: none; border-color: initial; border-radius: 50%; cursor: pointer; height: 40px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-indent: 9999px; width: 40px;\">Prev<svg class=\"icon-ui-arrow-left\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M2.203 12.064l7.854 7.875c.271.272.71.272.982 0a.698.698 0 000-.985l-6.622-6.697H21.31c.529 0 .69-.338.69-.655 0-.356-.284-.716-.69-.716H4.414l6.625-6.698a.698.698 0 000-.984.693.693 0 00-.982 0l-7.854 7.875a.698.698 0 000 .985\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><button aria-controls=\"imageGallerySlideWrapper\" aria-label=\"view next image\" class=\"gallery-inline__next\" data-analytics-prop-click-action=\"button-next-image\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border-width: initial; border-style: none; border-color: initial; border-radius: 50%; cursor: pointer; height: 40px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-indent: 9999px; width: 40px; margin-left: 8px;\">Next<svg class=\"icon-ui-arrow-right\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M21.797 12.063l-7.854 7.876a.693.693 0 01-.982 0 .697.697 0 010-.985l6.622-6.697H2.69c-.529 0-.69-.339-.69-.655 0-.356.284-.716.69-.716h16.896l-6.625-6.698a.697.697 0 010-.984.693.693 0 01.982 0l7.854 7.875a.697.697 0 010 .984\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><\/div><\/div><\/div><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000u3b6kxm66mrxi@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">The next generation of bullet trains, known as ALFA-X, is currently being tested at speeds of almost 250 mph (400 kph), although the service maximum will be \u201conly\u201d 225 mph.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000v3b6kj4cjqs96@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">The defining features of these and other recent Shinkansen trains are their extraordinarily long noses, designed not to improve their aerodynamics, but primarily to eliminate sonic booms caused by the \u201cpiston effect\u201d of trains entering tunnels and forcing compression waves out of the other end at supersonic speeds.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000w3b6ki8v01goa@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">This is a particular problem in densely populated urban areas, where noise from Shinkansen lines has long been a source of complaints.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000x3b6kq7839132@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">The experimental ALFA-X train also features new safety technology designed to cut down on vibration and noise and reduce the likelihood of derailments in major earthquakes.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj000y3b6k2fftfbg8@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">More than 10 billion passengers have now been carried in speed and comfort by the trains, the predictability of the operation making high-speed travel seem routine and largely taken for granted.<\/p><h2 class=\"subheader inline-placeholder\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/cm1ioiimm00203b6kllcqc8yn@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"high-speed-rails-around-the-world\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-family: var(--theme-subheader__font-family); font-weight: var(--theme-subheader__font-weight); clear: inherit; padding: 16px 0px 8px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: var(--theme-subheader-h2__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-subheader-h2__line-height); max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">High-speed rails around the world<\/h2><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cm1jbvkx4000a2e6ag3bwkygt@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"Hello Kitty Shinkansen IMG_\u5916\u89b3\u2461 (NXPowerLite)\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/180627122535-hello-kitty-shinkansen-img-nxpowerlite.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border-bottom: 0px; margin: 32px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; width: 851px;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; margin-bottom: auto;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/180627122535-hello-kitty-shinkansen-img-nxpowerlite.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/180627122535-hello-kitty-shinkansen-img-nxpowerlite.jpg?q=w_1015,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/180627122535-hello-kitty-shinkansen-img-nxpowerlite.jpg?q=w_1160,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/180627122535-hello-kitty-shinkansen-img-nxpowerlite.jpg?q=w_680,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"900\" width=\"1600\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 851px; object-fit: cover; height: 478.391px;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/180627122535-hello-kitty-shinkansen-img-nxpowerlite.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\" alt=\"Two great Japanese inventions, high speed trains and Hello Kitty, combined.\"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; max-width: 676px; margin: 8px auto 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); padding-bottom: 8px;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 4px; order: 2; display: inline;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\">Two great Japanese inventions, high speed trains and Hello Kitty, combined.<\/span>\u00a0<\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: visible; padding: 4px 0px; line-height: 20px; display: inline;\">Courtesy West Japan Railway\/Sanrio Co. Ltd.<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj00123b6k6mr51w5k@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">In 2022, more than 295 million people rode on Shinkansen trains around Japan.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj00133b6k4ykdxfrq@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Little wonder then that many other countries have followed Japan\u2019s example and built new high-speed railroads over the last four decades.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj00143b6kbknte728@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Perhaps the best-known of these is France, which has been operating its Train \u00e0 Grand Vitesse (TGV) between Paris and Lyon since 1981.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj00173b6kpzw1hnk7@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Like Japan, France has successfully exported the technology to other countries, including Europe\u2019s longest high-speed network in Spain, as well as Belgium, South Korea, the United Kingdom and\u00a0<a style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-weight: var(--base-font-weight-regular); font-family: var(--theme-font-family-body); font-size: var(--appr-font-size-body-md); line-height: var(--appr-font-line-height-body-md); color: var(--theme-paragraph__link-color); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); text-decoration-line: var(--theme-paragraph__link-decoration); text-underline-offset: var(--theme-paragraph__hover-link-offset);\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/article\/morocco-high-speed-tgv-trains\/index.html\">Africa\u2019s first high-speed railroad<\/a>\u00a0in Morocco.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj00183b6kq463d6f9@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\"><a style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-weight: var(--base-font-weight-regular); font-family: var(--theme-font-family-body); font-size: var(--appr-font-size-body-md); line-height: var(--appr-font-line-height-body-md); color: var(--theme-paragraph__link-color); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); text-decoration-line: var(--theme-paragraph__link-decoration); text-underline-offset: var(--theme-paragraph__hover-link-offset);\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/article\/tgv-m-next-generation-high-speed-train-france\/index.html\">France\u2019s TGV network<\/a>\u00a0has been phenomenally successful, slashing journey times over long distances between the country\u2019s big cities, creating additional capacity and making high-speed travel accessible and affordable, even mundane for regular commuters.<\/p><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cm1jbx1d7000e2e6ah0l4tjv3@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"TGV train\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6665271966527196\" data-original-height=\"3186\" data-original-width=\"4780\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172316-tgv-train.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border-bottom: 0px; margin: 32px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; width: 851px;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; margin-bottom: auto;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"3186\" width=\"4780\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172316-tgv-train.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"3186\" width=\"4780\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172316-tgv-train.jpg?q=w_1015,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"3186\" width=\"4780\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172316-tgv-train.jpg?q=w_1160,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"3186\" width=\"4780\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172316-tgv-train.jpg?q=w_680,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"3186\" width=\"4780\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 851px; object-fit: cover; height: 567.328px;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172316-tgv-train.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\" alt=\"A picture taken on July 2, 2017 shows the first official train of the new TGV high speed train line linking Paris to Bordeaux in 2h04 leaving the Bordeaux-Saint-Jean train station in Bordeaux, southwestern France. \/ AFP PHOTO \/ MEHDI FEDOUACH        (Photo credit should read MEHDI FEDOUACH\/AFP via Getty Images)\"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; max-width: 676px; margin: 8px auto 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); padding-bottom: 8px;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 4px; order: 2; display: inline;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\">A picture taken on July 2, 2017 shows the first official train of the new TGV high speed train line linking Paris to Bordeaux.<\/span>\u00a0<\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: visible; padding: 4px 0px; line-height: 20px; display: inline;\">Mehdi Fedouach\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001b3b6kav5nfsv9@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Taiwan, Turkey and\u00a0<a style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-weight: var(--base-font-weight-regular); font-family: var(--theme-font-family-body); font-size: var(--appr-font-size-body-md); line-height: var(--appr-font-line-height-body-md); color: var(--theme-paragraph__link-color); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); text-decoration-line: var(--theme-paragraph__link-decoration); text-underline-offset: var(--theme-paragraph__hover-link-offset);\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/article\/saudi-arabia-haramain-high-speed-trains\/index.html\">Saudi Arabia<\/a>\u00a0all now operate trains on dedicated lines linking their major cities, competing directly with airlines on domestic and international routes.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001c3b6kw7mgbrjg@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">In the UK, high-speed Eurostar trains run from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, but \u201cHigh Speed 2,\u201d a second route running north from London has been\u00a0<a style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-weight: var(--base-font-weight-regular); font-family: var(--theme-font-family-body); font-size: var(--appr-font-size-body-md); line-height: var(--appr-font-line-height-body-md); color: var(--theme-paragraph__link-color); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); text-decoration-line: var(--theme-paragraph__link-decoration); text-underline-offset: var(--theme-paragraph__hover-link-offset);\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/britain-railways-hs2-nervous-breakdown\/index.html\">mired in controversy<\/a>. What was once billed as a landmark mega-project to power an interconnected Britain into the oncoming century has now been reduced to a 140-mile link that will barely improve on existing services.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001d3b6kevrolyqm@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">For the moment, the closest equivalent to the bullet train for British passengers are new Hitachi-built \u201cIntercity Express Trains\u201d using technology derived from their Japanese cousins, although these only run at a maximum of 125 mph.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001e3b6kcfqdgv4c@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Meanwhile, India and Thailand are planning extensive high-speed rail networks of their own.<\/p><h2 class=\"subheader inline-placeholder\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/cm1ioiiu800213b6kgu3dxlox@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"chinas-railway-rise\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-family: var(--theme-subheader__font-family); font-weight: var(--theme-subheader__font-weight); clear: inherit; padding: 16px 0px 8px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: var(--theme-subheader-h2__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-subheader-h2__line-height); max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">China\u2019s railway rise<\/h2><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cm1jbvhjx00082e6a8hwycesa@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"China high speed train\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6665581243894497\" data-original-height=\"2047\" data-original-width=\"3071\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border-bottom: 0px; margin: 32px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; width: 851px;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; margin-bottom: auto;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"2047\" width=\"3071\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"2047\" width=\"3071\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_1015,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"2047\" width=\"3071\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_1160,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"2047\" width=\"3071\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_680,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"2047\" width=\"3071\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 851px; object-fit: cover; height: 567.328px;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126172520-china-high-speed-train.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\" alt=\"WUHAN, CHINA - JANUARY 20:  The Hundreds of high-speed trains at a maintenance base wait to set out on January 20th, 2018 in Wuhan, Hubei province, China.  The peak of Spring Festival Peak will be from January 21th to March 1.  (Photo by Wang He\/Getty Images)\"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; max-width: 676px; margin: 8px auto 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); padding-bottom: 8px;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 4px; order: 2; display: inline;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\">Hundreds of high-speed trains at a maintenance base wait to set out on January 20th, 2018 in Wuhan, China.<\/span>\u00a0<\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: visible; padding: 4px 0px; line-height: 20px; display: inline;\">Wang He\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001j3b6kwjqnxucm@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">In recent years, it\u2019s China that has eclipsed the rest of the world, using its economic might to create the world\u2019s longest high-speed railroad network.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001k3b6k17825xil@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">According to the country\u2019s national railway operator, the total length stands close to\u00a0<a style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-weight: var(--base-font-weight-regular); font-family: var(--theme-font-family-body); font-size: var(--appr-font-size-body-md); line-height: var(--appr-font-line-height-body-md); color: var(--theme-paragraph__link-color); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); text-decoration-line: var(--theme-paragraph__link-decoration); text-underline-offset: var(--theme-paragraph__hover-link-offset);\" href=\"https:\/\/english.news.cn\/20240109\/28b8075c73384fa894e90afd1b8d0dbc\/c.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">28,000 miles<\/a>\u00a0as of the end of 2023.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001l3b6kc2o9u224@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">More than just a mode of transportation, these lines provide fast links across this vast country, stimulating economic development and cementing political and social harmonization.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001m3b6kujy4saar@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Using technology initially harvested from Japan and Western Europe, and subsequently developed by its increasingly sophisticated railroad industry, China has quickly made itself a leading player in high-speed rail.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001p3b6kq3u8zykl@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">This looks set to continue as it develops magnetically levitating (Maglev) trains capable of running at almost 400 mph.<\/p><div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cm1jbw1f3000c2e6arn0btjpa@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"ALFA X\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"2160\" data-original-width=\"3840\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0,c_fill\" data-editable=\"settings\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; border-bottom: 0px; margin: 32px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; width: 851px;\"><div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; margin-bottom: auto;\"><picture class=\"image__picture\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 100%; display: contents; height: 0px;\"><source height=\"2160\" width=\"3840\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"2160\" width=\"3840\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_1015,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"2160\" width=\"3840\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_1160,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><source height=\"2160\" width=\"3840\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_680,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><\/source><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"2160\" width=\"3840\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"image__dam-img\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; width: 851px; object-fit: cover; height: 478.391px;\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/191126174143-alfa-x.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\" alt=\"Japan's experimental ALFA-X train. \"><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"image__metadata\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; max-width: 676px; margin: 8px auto 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); padding-bottom: 8px;\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"image__caption attribution\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 4px; order: 2; display: inline;\"><span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\">Japan&#8217;s experimental ALFA-X train.\u00a0<\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; text-align: right; order: 1; visibility: visible; padding: 4px 0px; line-height: 20px; display: inline;\">JR EAST<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001q3b6koed78nua@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Japan has had its own experimental Maglev line since the 1970s and is constructing a 178-mile line between Tokyo and Nagoya.<\/p><div class=\"openweb-comment-counter__promo-container\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; clear: both; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: space-between; padding: 16px; border: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); margin-bottom: 16px; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\"><div class=\"openweb-comment-counter__promo-content\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; align-items: center; display: flex;\"><span class=\"openweb-comment-counter__promo-text\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; align-items: center; display: flex;\"><span class=\"openweb-comment-counter__icon\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; width: 20px; height: 27px; content: url(&quot;\/media\/sites\/cnn\/icons\/comment-icon.svg&quot;);\"><\/span><b class=\"openweb-comment-counter__promo-qa\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; margin-left: 8px; color: rgb(12, 12, 12);\">What do you think?<\/b><\/span><span class=\"openweb-comment-counter__promo-label\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; margin-left: 8px; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(64, 64, 64);\">Join 26 others in the comments<\/span><\/div><div class=\"openweb-comment-counter__promo-cta\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"><a class=\"openweb-comment-counter__promo-button\" data-cta-tracking=\"in-line CTA\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; display: flex; cursor: pointer; height: 32px; padding: 8px; align-items: center; border-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(12, 12, 12); font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(12, 12, 12); text-decoration-line: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/japan-shinkansen-bullet-trains-60-years\/index.html#openweb-convo\">View Comments<\/a><\/div><\/div><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001r3b6kesv64tq5@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Due to\u00a0<a style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-weight: var(--base-font-weight-regular); font-family: var(--theme-font-family-body); font-size: var(--appr-font-size-body-md); line-height: var(--appr-font-line-height-body-md); color: var(--theme-paragraph__link-color); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); text-decoration-line: var(--theme-paragraph__link-decoration); text-underline-offset: var(--theme-paragraph__hover-link-offset);\" href=\"https:\/\/www.japantimes.co.jp\/news\/2024\/03\/30\/japan\/jr-tokai-maglev-delay\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">open in 2034<\/a>, it will eventually extend to Osaka, cutting the journey time to the latter to just 67 minutes.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001s3b6kpsy7mce1@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">\u201cThe Shinkansen is clearly much more than a means of transportation,\u201d says British academic Christopher P. Hood, author of \u201cShinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan.\u201d<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001t3b6ksscj5yzn@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">\u201cIt was the most potent symbol of Japan\u2019s postwar reconstruction and emerging industrial might and as it continues to evolve is likely to be so for many years to come.\u201d<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001v3b6ksar9bt4x@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Although the iconic blue and white 0-Series trains of 1964 are long since retired, they still form many people\u2019s image of what a bullet train looks like.<\/p><p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm1ioihyj001w3b6kh4rccjyl@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: var(--appr-color-text-primary); letter-spacing: var(--base-font-letter-spacing-none); flex: 1 0 0px; font-family: var(--theme-paragraph__font-family); font-size: var(--theme-paragraph__font-size); line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height); margin-bottom: var(--base-space-16); overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 676px; position: relative; left: calc((98vw - 1072px) \/ 2);\">Their remarkable descendants are an indispensable part of the transport infrastructure in Japan and many other countries around the world and, as environmental concerns make people think twice about flying, they could be about to experience a further resurgence, prompting a new golden age for the railroad.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/main><\/section><\/article><\/section><\/section><\/section><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Ben Jones, CNN \u00a0Published 12:46 AM EDT, Tue October 1, 2024\u00a0(CNN.com A &#8220;shinkansen&#8221;, or high-speed bullet train, passes along the tracks above traffic on the streets below, near Shimbashi station in central Tokyo on May 22, 2024.\u00a0RICHARD A. BROOKS\/AFP\/AFP via Getty Images CNN\u00a0\u2014\u00a0 Sixty years ago, early in the&#8230; <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2024\/10\/23\/how-japans-shinkansen-bullet-trains-changed-the-world-of-rail-travel-forever\/\"> Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr; <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37216"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37216"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37216\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37217,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37216\/revisions\/37217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37216"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37216"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}