Japan Kicks Off Shinkansen Promotion Event in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, May 5 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government, East Japan Railway Co.

and other relevant organizations started in Kuala Lumpur Thursday an exhibition to promote Japan's Shinkansen high-speed rail system in Malaysia. The event, held at a shopping mall in the Malaysian capital, features a Shinkansen bullet train operation simulator and three-dimensional videos to show technical advantages of the Shinkansen system. Model trains are also on display. The exhibition is part of Japan's efforts to have Malaysia and Singapore adopt the Shinkansen system for a planned 350-kilometer-long high-speed railway to connect the two neighboring Southeast Asian countries in 90 minutes. The two countries are expected to exchange a memorandum of agreement on the construction of the international rail line in the middle of the year. Visiting the exhibition venue, Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia Makio Miyagawa said he expect the two countries to choose the safest system for the envisaged bullet train line. South Korea, one of Japan's rivals, has already been promoting its high-speed rail system in Kuala Lumpur.Copyright JIJI PRESS LTD.