News Ukraine looking at acquiring Japanese Shinkansen

Japan's Shinkansen system, known for its safety and speed, has attracted the attention of Ukraine, which hopes to use it as part of its recovery from the damage caused by the Russian invasion. This is a good chance for Japan to showcase its high-speed train system, which it has been trying to sell to other countries.
A source from the Japanese government said that Ukraine's ambassador, Sergiy Korsunsky, asked for "Japan's Shinkansen to be part of the reconstruction support" after the G7 summit in Hiroshima in late May. Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov, who is responsible for infrastructure, also showed interest in bullet trains when he came to Japan in mid-June for a meeting on Ukraine's economic rebuilding. However, many challenges must be overcome before the project becomes a reality.

Ukraine, as a member of the former Soviet Union, currently uses 1,520-millimeter-wide train tracks throughout the country, as is standard in Russia. This consistency has allowed Moscow to transport personnel and supplies to Ukraine smoothly during their invasion efforts. On the other hand, Poland and other Western European countries rely on 1,435-mm-wide rails--as do Japan's Shinkansen. The difference in track standards forces passengers and cargo to change trains on trips between Ukraine and its Western neighbours. In May last year, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced plans to change the country's rail width to meet the European criteria. The decision to improve passengers' accessibility to the Western states and reduce Moscow's clout was critical to the envisioned rebuilding of Ukraine's railway network--and makes Japan's Shinkansen, running on its 1,435-mm tracks, ideal candidates for the project.

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However, Japan is eager to export its bullet train technology and faces stiff competition from other nations, particularly China.

thomas said:

However, many challenges must be overcome before the project becomes a reality.

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Yeah, no kidding. Like ending a war. That's the first challenge.