DOCSLIB.ORG

Asia's Testbed Strives to Adapt

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Asia's Testbed Strives to Adapt FT SPECIAL REPORT Japan Technology & Innovation Tuesday December 3 2013 www.ft.com/reports | @ftreports Asia’s testbed strives to adapt Inside Stem cell first Scientist hopes to restore patients’ The imperative to pharmacies’ hold over more than two vision but profits dozen popular medicines, in some may be elusive cases permanently. “If Mr Abe cannot modernise presents decide on this, he cannot decide on Page 2 anything,” he said. dilemmas, writes Another eternal complaint about Japanese industry is that too many Robots hit by Jennifer Thompson companies make the same things. Their executives complain of profit- hard times squeezing competition yet are loathe Automatons need he outlook for Japan’s engi- to leave money-losing businesses or neers and entrepreneurs is merge their companies with rivals. to earn keep with the brightest for 20 years – There has been progress this year. serious engineering on the face of it. Panasonic, for instance, has said it Prime minister Shinzo will abandon smartphones, while tele- Page 2 TAbe’s three-pronged strategy to revive vision makers across the board have the economy – known as Abenomics – trimmed production. But experts aims to help both ventures starting agree more consolidation is needed. out and conglomerates that have Part of the government’s grand plan existed for decades. to haul the economy out of more than Tokyo kicked off the year with fis- a decade of low growth and 15 years cal stimulus followed by an unprece- of deflation is to encourage businesses dented monetary loosening from the to collaborate in the hope that reduc- Bank of Japan. Following that was ing the number of players in a single the promise of additional reform sector will relieve downward pressure Beyond bullets measures, such as special zones in on profits, wages and prices. urban commercial centres where Excess capacity plagues virtually New high­speed deregulation will go further than at every industry, particularly food, trains will ‘levitate’ the national level. To add to all that retail, chemicals and construction came the apparent removal of funding where the top five businesses have as – but can they barriers for entrepreneurs. little as a 30-40 per cent share between boost growth? For those budding enterprises that them. do make the grade, a stock market Changing corporate law is one part Page 3 rally instigated by a new flush of of the solution. Mr Abe’s administra- investor optimism about the world’s tion is pushing for tax breaks to third-largest economy is boosting the reward companies that carve out over- Merger shy chances of successful initial public lapping operations and combine them offerings, should the enterprises wish in a new entity. Companies pushed to raise further capital. Some areas are already witnessing to join forces to Japanese companies compete hard growing innovation. to remain technological frontrunners Japanese engineers at Toyota and trim bloated in traditional areas of strengths such Tokyo university this year created a sectors as the automotive industry. Nissan robot capable of holding a conversa- and Toyota want vehicles with self- tion about everyday events. Not an Page 3 driving technology to start rolling off answer to mankind’s most pressing their mass production lines by the needs, perhaps, but certainly a useful end of the decade. addition to the International Space Making a splash But businesses in other traditional Station, where the robot, Kirobo, acts areas, notably consumer electronics, as a companion and instructor to a Manufacturers of continue to struggle. Japanese astronaut. high­tech toilets Last month Sony slashed its full- Robot dreams: Kirobo travels to the manufacturers in Japan, focusing on the ear of the prime minister as a “I believe robots will be the next year net profit forecast by 40 per cent International Space Station to support restructuring rather than novelty. member of a council advising on legis- smartphone, just like Google believes hope to increase as the consumer electronics company a Japanese astronaut “The electronics industry is changing lation to boost Japan’s growth, threat- Google Glass will be the next smart- sales abroad fell back into the red for its second drastically and it has become vital to ened to quit after questioning the gov- phone,” predicts the robot’s designer, quarter. build systems to provide high value- ernment’s commitment to reviving Tomotaka Takahashi. Page 4 Much rides on whether the group added products as quickly and as effi- the economy through deregulation. Other breakthroughs will reach will make good on a promise that its ciently as possible,” says Yoshihiro Mr Mikitani was acting in response wider audiences. Xperia smartphone range and Play- Nishida, a manager at Murata Manu- to a draft pharmaceuticals bill, one of Japan’s prototype levitating train, Station 4 game console, for which it facturing, a Kyoto-based supplier of the first reforms promised by Mr Abe in development for years, broke the On FT.com » has set an initial sales target of 5m, components to Apple and Samsung. after his election late last year. 500kph barrier in testing this summer. will help Sony return to profitability. The challenges of introducing struc- Bricks-and-mortar pharmacies JR Central is aiming to start a Sharp, which this time last year Companies complain of tural reforms and fostering entrepre- oppose the bill’s removal of a ban on Maglev service on a line between Self­driving cars warned of doubt about its survival, is neurship remain. internet sales of non-prescription Tokyo and Nagoya in 2027. Some have Automakers keen fighting back after two years of multi- competition yet are loath One recent row is a case in point. drugs. called for construction plans to be billion-dollar losses. Last month Hiroshi Mikitani, the Yet Mr Mikitani was dismayed to speeded up so the service can start to stress safety It is making a $1.4bn share offering to merge with rivals chief executive of Rakuten, Japan’s discover that the planned legislation and various equity agreements with largest e-commerce company, who has contained caveats that would prolong Continued on Page 2 over excitement Start­up seeks to profit from ageing population to plan. The venture was an for people caring for elderly Entrepreneurship agency that specialised in relatives recently dis- finding accommodation for charged from hospital; an Those ventures that elderly people, complete online community for care succeed can expect with suitable facilities and workers and managers, and available care. However, another site promoting pro- to reap rewards, when Japan’s long-term fessional qualifications for care insurance system came those employed in the sec- writes Gavin Blair into operation in 2000, com- tor, collecting commissions petition increased and fees from schools when its mem- As an undergraduate in the dropped, rendering the busi- bers sign up for courses. late 1990s, Shuhei Morofuji ness unprofitable. With 80 per cent of was facing the traditional Fear of this type of failure Japan’s numerous elderly- Potential: elderly Japanese people take exercise Getty and laborious process of partly explains the lack of care companies consisting applying for jobs at leading entrepreneurs in Japan in of independent, often fami- Japanese corporations. recent decades, according to ly-run, concerns, SMS cre- Y10bn (£62m) for the first world. Japan has a 20-year With established compa- Mr Morofuji – something he ated a dedicated, computer- time in the year to March head start on this. nies at the time beginning believes must change if the ised management system, 2013, while net profits for “The person who figures to merge, lay off staff and economy is to grow. which is now used by more the quarter ending Septem- out how to address this even go bankrupt, however, Undaunted, Mr Morofuji than 15,000 of them. ber jumped 35.5 per cent on issue – and it’s going to be he concluded that life as then founded SMS in 2003, The overlapping nature of the previous year to through ideas and technol- a white-collar salaryman with the aim of providing the various services mean Y1.08bn. ogy – is going to do very was no longer a stable “information infrastruc- many of the businesses feed As the populations of well. That is going to be option. ture” for the elderly care into each other, while big Japan’s Asian neighbours exportable to many coun- “I thought that it would market and its associated data analysis has helped are expected to age rapidly tries very soon.” be better to take charge of industries. His first step identify needs and develop in the future, SMS is posi- Having run SMS for a my career and form a com- was to take the advertising new offerings, according to tioning itself to take advan- decade, Mr Morofuji, who pany at my own risk,” says related to elderly care, Mr Morofuji. tage. The first generation of still owns 31 per cent of the Mr Morofuji. After a couple including personnel recruit- parents from China’s one company, has decided the of years spent working in ment, and shift it from leaf- child policy will retire over time has come to step aside sales, he set his sights on lets and newspapers to an the next few decades, skew- and let another chief execu- one of the few parts of the online model. With revenue ‘This will soon be ing the demographics of its tive take the reins. He domestic economy that was from the success of this a problem for vast population even more believes that companies almost guaranteed to see venture, SMS was able to than that of Japan. SMS has that continue to be run by future growth.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Bullets and Trains: Exporting Japan's Shinkansen to China and Taiwan
    Volume 5 | Issue 3 | Article ID 2367 | Mar 01, 2007 The Asia-Pacific Journal | Japan Focus Bullets and Trains: Exporting Japan's Shinkansen to China and Taiwan Christopher P. Hood Bullets and Trains: ExportingJapan ’s Japan, like many other countries has a de facto Shinkansen to China and Taiwan two-China policy with formal recognition of the People’s Republic but extensive economic and By Christopher P. Hood other ties with the Republic. One example of this dual policy is the use of Haneda Airport by China Airlines (Taiwan), but the use of Narita It is over forty years since the Shinkansen Airport by airlines from China. (‘bullet train’) began operating between Tokyo and Osaka. Since then the network has The Shinkansen expanded, but other countries, most notably France and Germany, have been developing The Shinkansen is one ofJapan ’s iconic their own high speed railways, too. As other symbols. The image ofMount Fuji with a countries, mainly in Asia, look to develop high passing Shinkansen is one of the most speed railways, the battle over which country projected images of Japan. The history of the will win the lucrative contracts for them is on. Shinkansen dates back to the Pacific War. It is not only a matter of railway technology. Shima Yasujiro’s plan for thedangan ressha Political, economic & cultural influences are (‘bullet train’) then included the idea of a line also at stake. This paper will look at these linking Tokyo with Korea and China (1). various aspects in relation to the export of the Although that plan never materialised, the Shinkansen to China in light of previous Shinkansen idea was reborn nearly two Japanese attempts to export the Shinkansen decades later, as yume-no-chotokkyu (‘super and the situation in Taiwan.
    [Show full text]
  • Bilevel Rail Car - Wikipedia
    Bilevel rail car - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilevel_rail_car Bilevel rail car The bilevel car (American English) or double-decker train (British English and Canadian English) is a type of rail car that has two levels of passenger accommodation, as opposed to one, increasing passenger capacity (in example cases of up to 57% per car).[1] In some countries such vehicles are commonly referred to as dostos, derived from the German Doppelstockwagen. The use of double-decker carriages, where feasible, can resolve capacity problems on a railway, avoiding other options which have an associated infrastructure cost such as longer trains (which require longer station Double-deck rail car operated by Agence métropolitaine de transport platforms), more trains per hour (which the signalling or safety in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The requirements may not allow) or adding extra tracks besides the existing Lucien-L'Allier station is in the back line. ground. Bilevel trains are claimed to be more energy efficient,[2] and may have a lower operating cost per passenger.[3] A bilevel car may carry about twice as many as a normal car, without requiring double the weight to pull or material to build. However, a bilevel train may take longer to exchange passengers at each station, since more people will enter and exit from each car. The increased dwell time makes them most popular on long-distance routes which make fewer stops (and may be popular with passengers for offering a better view).[1] Bilevel cars may not be usable in countries or older railway systems with Bombardier double-deck rail cars in low loading gauges.
    [Show full text]
  • Notice of Series N700 Shinkansen Train Bogie Frames Matter
    Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. February 28, 2018 Notice of Series N700 Shinkansen Train Bogie Frames matter Kawasaki hereby reports on the above matter, as described in the attached documents. It is still not clear how far this matter will affect business performance; however, should matters requiring disclosure be identified, you will be notified promptly. February 28, 2018 Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. Series N700 Shinkansen Train Bogie Frames With reference to the crack (structural failure) of the bogie (or truck) frame (hereinafter referred to as the “Failed Bogie Frame”) of series N700 Shinkansen train owned by West Japan Railway Company (hereinafter referred as "JR West") occurred at Nagoya Station on 11 December 2017, we, as the manufacturer of the Failed Bogie Frame, hereby express our sincere apology for inconvenience and concern caused to passengers of Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen, JR West, Central Japan Railway Company (hereinafter referred to as “JR Central”) and any other related party. While the Japan Transport Safety Board (hereinafter referred to as “JTSB”) is currently conducting dedicated investigations into a root cause of the crack of the Failed Bogie Frame, we hereunder report what has been revealed in the investigation until now and our remedial actions to be taken. 1. Results of the investigation of the Failed Bogie Frame and defects during manufacturing process We manufactured the Failed Bogie Frame in February 2007 at Kawasaki’s Rolling Stock Company Hyogo Works, and the followings have been revealed in the investigation until now. (1) Although the bottom plate of the side frame of the bogie frame of series N700 Shinkansen train should be 8mm thick the design specifications (more than 7mm post-processing), it is 4.7mm at the thinnest location.
    [Show full text]
  • The Body Inclining System of the Series N700 Shinkansen
    The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers International Symposium on Speed-up, Safety and Service Technology for Railway and Maglev Systems 2009 (STECH’09) 2009.6.16-19 Niigata JAPAN THE BODY INCLINING SYSTEM OF THE SERIES N700 SHINKANSEN Yasuki Nakakura *1 and Kosuke Hayakawa *2 *1 Shinkansen Operations Division, Central Japan Railway Company, [email protected] *2 Shinkansen Operations Division, Central Japan Railway Company, [email protected] ABSTRACT 2. OVERVIEW OF THE BODY INCLINING The Series N700 is the first Shinkansen rolling stock to SYSTEM employ a body inclining system, which allows speed increases on curves while maintaining riding comfort. 2.1 Requirements of the body inclining system for a For use in the Tokaido Shinkansen, such a system needs Tokaido Shinkansen train-set to be light-weight and possess a reliable means to provide Over the years, body inclining system has been used with high precision position data. Reliability is a crucial factor conventional trains, but no such system has been when considering that the Tokaido Shinkansen operates a employed in Shinkansens excluding cases of test use. maximum of 13 train-sets per hour. In order to meet these Looking at high-speed trains in Europe, there exist cases requirements, the Series N700 adopts a simple and light where body-inclining mechanisms have been adopted weight air-spring based body inclining mechanism, such as the Italian ETR450 and the Swedish X2000. which combines the new automatic train control (ATC) However, their mechanisms are complex and heavy, technology capable of providing reliable high-precision making them unsuitable for use in the Tokaido position data, and control transmission technology that Shinkansen, where axle load restriction is strict.
    [Show full text]
  • He Superconducting Maglev Train & Impacts of New Transportation
    COVER STORY • “Amazing Tokyo” — Beyond 2020 • 7 he Superconducting Maglev Train & Impacts of New Transportation Infrastructure TBy Shigeru Morichi Author Shigeru Morichi Transportation Technology regions. Many countries have since achieved high economic growth, & Economic Development but with widening income gaps between regions. In this respect, Japan achieved a different outcome. Japan’s achievement in reaching high economic growth in just What impact, then, will the current development of new under 20 years after the end of World War II was once called a transportation infrastructure have on Japan? “miracle”. Twenty years further on, following the oil shock, there was talk of “Japan as Number One” when the rest of the world was Superconducting Magnetic Levitation Railway suffering from recession. Behind these two phenomena were not just the quality and manufacturing costs of Japan’s industrial products, Process of development but also technological innovation in its transportation system. Construction for the superconducting magnetic levitation railway, During the high economic growth period, achievements were the Chuo Shinkansen, began in December 2014, and by 2027 it will made in marine transport via containerization, and also through only take 40 minutes to travel the 286 kilometers between mass reduction in transportation costs with the introduction of Shinagawa Station in Tokyo and Nagoya Station. The current Tokaido specialized vessels for transporting motor vehicles and crude oil, as Shinkansen runs on a different route, and it currently takes 90 well as large vessels. Without these developments, industrial minutes to travel the 335 km between Shinagawa and Nagoya. The products from distant Japan could not have proved competitive in new Chuo Shinkansen will only take 67 minutes to travel the 438 km Europe or the United States.
    [Show full text]
  • How the Punctuality of the Shinkansen Has Been Achieved
    Computers in Railways XII 111 How the punctuality of the Shinkansen has been achieved N. Tomii Chiba Institute of Technology, Japan Abstract The high speed railway line in Japan began operation in 1964. The high speed railway is called the Shinkansen and is known for its safety and reliability. In addition, the Shinkansen is well known for punctuality. As a matter of fact, the average delay of trains is less than one minutes every year. The Shinkansen runs along dedicated lines, which seem to be advantageous in keeping punctuality. However, there are lots of disadvantages as well. For example, although traffic is very dense, resources are not abundant. In some Shinkansen lines, trains go directly through conventional railway lines and the Shinkansen is easily influenced by the disruption of those lines. Punctuality of the Shinkansen is supported by hardware, software and humanware. In this paper, we first introduce a brief history of the Shinkansen and then focus on humanware, which makes the punctuality possible. Keywords: high speed trains, punctuality, rescheduling, Shinkansen. 1 Introduction In 1964, a high speed railway line opened in Japan. The new line connects Tokyo, the capitol, and Osaka, the second largest city located 600 km away. The maximum speed of trains was 210km/h, which was almost twice that of other trains in those days and the travelling time between these two cities was halved to only three hours and ten minutes. The new high-speed line was called the Shinkansen and it had a great impact not only on railways in Japan, but also on railways worldwide.
    [Show full text]
  • Superconducting Maglev(Scmaglev)
    THE REVIEW SUPERCONDUCTING MAGLEV (SCMAGLEV) , http: // jr-central.co.jp/ 17.05 SUPERCONDUCTING MAGLEV (SCMAGLEV) e Superconducting Maglev -Next Generation Transportation System e Superconducting Maglev (SCMAGLEV) is an internationally acclaimed, cutting-edge technology unique to Japan. Unlike conventional railway systems that rely on adhesion between wheel and rail for movement, the Superconducting Maglev is a contactless transportation system that accelerates and decelerates by the magnetic force generated between the onboard superconducting magnets and ground coils, which enables a stable ultra-high speed operation at the speed of 311mph. Research of a totally new levitated transportation system commenced in 1962, and running tests on the Yamanashi Maglev Line began in 1997. Since then, a wide range of tests were conducted and cleared. With these test results, the Maglev Technological Practicality Evaluation Committee (MTPEC) under the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has evaluated Superconducting Maglev technology at each stage. In July 2009, MTPEC acknowledged that the technology has been established comprehensively and systematically, which makes it possible to draw up detailed specications and technological standards for revenue service. In December 2011, the technical standards of the Superconducting Maglev were enacted by the Japanese Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. In August 2013, the Yamanashi Maglev Line was fully renewed and extended to 42.8km (26.6miles), and is currently operating using Series L0 (L Zero). is leading edge Japanese technology is the next generation of super fast train travel. e Principles of the Superconducting Maglev System How the Superconducting Maglev runs at ultra high-speed? In order to operate at ultra high-speed, the Superconducting Maglev levitates 10cm (about 3.9in) above ground by the magnetic force Electric resistance generated between the onboard Superconducting Magnets and ground coils.
    [Show full text]
  • Railway Accident Investigation Report
    RA2007-8-I Railway Accident Investigation Report Train Derailment Accident between Urasa station and Nagaoka station of the Joetsu Shinkansen of the East Japan Railway Company November 30, 2007 Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission i The objective of the investigation conducted by the Japan Transport Safety Board in accordance with the Act for Establishment of the Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission to determine the causes of an accident and damage incidental to such an accident, thereby preventing future accidents and reducing damage. It is not the purpose of the investigation to apportion blame or liability. Norihiro Goto Chairman Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission Note: This report is a translation of the Japanese original investigation report. The text in Japanese shall prevail in the interpretation of the report. ii Railway Accident Investigation Report Railway operator : East Japan Railway Company Accident type : Train derailment Date and time : About 17:56, October 23, 2004 Location : Around 206,207 m from the origin in Omiya Station, between Urasa station and Nagaoka station, Joetsu Shinkansen, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture November 1, 2007 Adopted by the Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission Chairman Norihiro Goto Member Yukio Kusuki Member Toshiko Nakagawa Member Akira Matsumoto Member Masayuki Miyamoto Member Norio Tomii Member Shinsuke Endoh Member Noboru Toyooka Member Yuki Shuto Member Akiko Matsuo iii Contents 1. PROCESS AND PROGRESS OF THE RAILWAY ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION 1 1.1. Summary of the Railway Accident 1 1.2. Outline of the Railway Accident Investigation 1 1.2.1. Organization of the Investigation 1 1.2.2. Implementation of the Investigation 2 1.2.3.
    [Show full text]
  • Shinkansen - Wikipedia 7/3/20, 1048 AM
    Shinkansen - Wikipedia 7/3/20, 10)48 AM Shinkansen The Shinkansen (Japanese: 新幹線, pronounced [ɕiŋkaꜜɰ̃ seɴ], lit. ''new trunk line''), colloquially known in English as the bullet train, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. Initially, it was built to connect distant Japanese regions with Tokyo, the capital, in order to aid economic growth and development. Beyond long-distance travel, some sections around the largest metropolitan areas are used as a commuter rail network.[1][2] It is operated by five Japan Railways Group companies. A lineup of JR East Shinkansen trains in October Over the Shinkansen's 50-plus year history, carrying 2012 over 10 billion passengers, there has been not a single passenger fatality or injury due to train accidents.[3] Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen (515.4 km, 320.3 mi) in 1964,[4] the network has expanded to currently consist of 2,764.6 km (1,717.8 mi) of lines with maximum speeds of 240–320 km/h (150– 200 mph), 283.5 km (176.2 mi) of Mini-Shinkansen lines with a maximum speed of 130 km/h (80 mph), and 10.3 km (6.4 mi) of spur lines with Shinkansen services.[5] The network presently links most major A lineup of JR West Shinkansen trains in October cities on the islands of Honshu and Kyushu, and 2008 Hakodate on northern island of Hokkaido, with an extension to Sapporo under construction and scheduled to commence in March 2031.[6] The maximum operating speed is 320 km/h (200 mph) (on a 387.5 km section of the Tōhoku Shinkansen).[7] Test runs have reached 443 km/h (275 mph) for conventional rail in 1996, and up to a world record 603 km/h (375 mph) for SCMaglev trains in April 2015.[8] The original Tōkaidō Shinkansen, connecting Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, three of Japan's largest cities, is one of the world's busiest high-speed rail lines.
    [Show full text]
  • Japan's High-Speed Rail System Between Osaka
    MTI Report MSTM 00-4 Japan’s High-Speed Rail System Between Osaka and Tokyo and Commitment to Maglev Technology: A Comparative Analysis with California’s High Speed Rail Proposal Between San Jose/San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles Metropolitan Area March 2000 Robert Kagiyama a publication of the Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies IISTPS Created by Congress in 1991 Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipients Catalog No. 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Japan’s High-Speed Rail System between Osaka and Tokyo and March 2000 Commitment to Maglev Technology: A Comparative Analysis with California’s High-Speed Rail Proposal between San Jose/San Francisco bay Area and Los Angeles Metropolitan Area 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author 8. Performing Organization Report No. Robert Kagiyama MSTM 00-4 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies College of Business—BT550 San José State University San Jose, CA 95192-0219 11. Contract or Grant No. 65W136 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered California Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation MTM 290 March 2000 Office of Research—MS42 Research & Special Programs Administration P.O. Box 942873 400 7th Street, SW Sacramento, CA 94273-0001 Washington, D.C. 20590-0001 14. Sponsoring Agency Code 15. Supplementary Notes This capstone project was submitted to San José State University, College of Business, Master of Science Transportation Management Program as partially fulfillment for graduation.
    [Show full text]
  • The Workings of Maglev: a New Way to Travel
    THE WORKINGS OF MAGLEV: A NEW WAY TO TRAVEL Scott Dona Amarjit Singh Research Report UHM/CE/2017-01 April 2017 The Workings of Maglev: A New Way to Travel Page Left Blank ii Scott Dona and Amarjit Singh EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Maglev is a relatively new form of transportation and the term is derived from magnetic levitation. This report describes what maglev is, how it works, and will prove that maglev can be successfully constructed and provide many fully operational advantages. The different types of maglev technology were analyzed. Several case studies were examined to understand the different maglev projects whether operational, still in construction, or proposed. This report presents a plan to construct a maglev network using Maglev 2000 vehicles in the United States. A maglev system provides energy, environmental, economic, and quality of life benefits. An energy and cost analysis was performed to determine whether maglev provides value worth pursuing. Maglev has both a lower energy requirement and lower energy costs than other modes of transportation. Maglev trains have about one-third of the energy requirement and about one- third of energy cost of Amtrak trains. Compared to other maglev projects, the U.S. Maglev Network would be cheaper by a weighted average construction cost of $36 million per mile. Maglev could also be applied to convert the Honolulu Rail project in Hawaii from an elevated steel wheel on steel rail system into a maglev system. Due to the many benefits that Maglev offers and the proof that maglev can be implemented successfully, maglev could be the future of transportation not just in the United States but in the world.
    [Show full text]
  • Maglev) Shinkansen and Abenomics
    Volume 15 | Issue 12 | Number 5 | Article ID 5050 | Jun 15, 2017 The Asia-Pacific Journal | Japan Focus End Game for Japan’s Construction State - The Linear (Maglev) Shinkansen and Abenomics Aoki Hidekazu and Kawamiya Nobuo Abstract The Linear Shinkansen plan is a project to connect Tokyo-Osaka (438 kms) in 67 minutes Prime Minister Abe has committed 3 trillion by magnetically levitated (superconducting yen ($27 billion) to finance a linear Shinkansen maglev.) bullet trains, with a maximum speed project linking Tokyo and Nagoya/Osaka by of 505 km/h and for a total cost estimated at Maglev. Technical analysis shows that the 9.03 trillion yen. The first stage object is to Linear Shinkansen constitutes not only an start service on the Tokyo-Nagoya 286 kms extraordinarily costly but also an abnormally sector by 2027, for an investment of 5.43 energy-wasting project, consuming in operation trillion yen. Overall completion of the line between four and five times as much power as through to Osaka, under the revised Abe the Tokaido Shinkansen which already provides government plan, is to occur in 2037.2 high speed rail connection. Since the 1960s, Japan’s major construction projects have become vastly more costly and less efficient. Deficit-breeding, energy-wasting, environmentally-destructive, and technologically unreliable, the Linear Shinkansen project must be considered a guaranteed fiasco, with the potential not only of its own collapse but of bringing the Tokaido Shinkansen down too. Keywords: Linear Shinkansen, Maglev, Construction State, Primary Energy Supply, Total Industrial Output 1. Linear Shinkansen: Upgrade to National Project Route Map of the Linear Shinkansen On August 2, 2016, Japan's Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and his cabinet decided on 28.2 trillion yen worth of economic measures described as At the Ise-Shima G7 Summit in May 2016, an “investment for the future”.
    [Show full text]