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Japan's Maglev Train Breaks World Record at 366 mph

posted on by Lynzee Loveridge

Taking the train is a regular sight in anime. Characters wait at the station with their classmates before boarding to go to school every morning. In at least one episode, the crew of friends get together for a long, scenic ride to the beach. Getting overwhelmed during a train line switch at the busy Tokyo station is a character's introductory plot point.

Anime characters and Japan denizen's commute is about to get a whole lot faster.

Central Japan Railway Co. issued a press release on Thursday that its Maglev (Magnetic Levitation) bullet train broke the world record and reached a speed of 366 miles per hour (590 kilometers per hour) during a test run in Yamanashi. The company already held the previous world record, set in in 2003 with its MLX01 maglev train. The train will undergo another test run on Tuesday where it's expected to break the record again and reach 373 mph (600 kph).

With those kinds of speeds, maybe Takaki could have met Akari on time?

The technology is still very much in the works. JR Central won't open the Yamanashi line until at least 2027 and even then, the trains will not exceed speeds of 314mph (505 kph). Passengers will be able to travel from Tokyo to Nagoya in roughly 40 minutes.

This technology could be heading to the United States in the near future. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is set to visit on April 26 and has already stated he'd like to export Japan's train technology to the U.S. to build a line from New York to Washington. Abe also said that Japan would help finance the project.

Source: The Wall Street Journal


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