Japan's bullet train operator keen on High-Speed Rail
Four major Japanese companies have collectively started groundwork prior to bidding for the High-Speed Rail (HSR) project connecting Singapore to Malaysias capital city, according to media reports.
The Japanese consortium, made up of the East Japan Railway Company (JR-East), Sumitomo Corporation, Hitachi and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, was formed a year ago and plans to bring a system similar to Japans Shinkansen.
Commonly known as the bullet train and operated by JR-East, the Shinkansen has a speed of up to 320 km/h, and is known for being efficient, punctual and comfortable. It has been in service since 1964, just days before the Tokyo Olympics was opened that year, reportedly without any fatal incidents throughout its 50 years in operation.
The exact roles of the four parties are not decided, but they will likely tap on each companys strengths and competencies. For example, JR-East can be expected to offer train operations, while Hitachi and Mitsubishi could provide the technical expertise. Sumitomo could possibly drive the project development. Notably, this is the first time the four companies have joined together for an HSR project.
Additionally, Japans Transport Minister Akihiro Ota made a pitch for Shinkansen technology in a meeting with Malaysian ministers in August, according to Japanese media.
Bidders from China and Europe also seem to show interest in the HSR project.
The Singapore-Kuala Lumpur HSR link was announced in February last year to reduce travel time between the two cities to 90 minutes. Scheduled for completion by 2020, construction forthe HSR link is estimated to be around $15.6 billion.
The project also is expected to boost property prices in both countries.
Muneerah Bee, Senior Journalist at PropertyGuru, wrote this story. To contact her about this or other stories emailmuneerah@propertyguru.com.sg
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