Ukraine is eagerly looking to Japan’s super-safe Shinkansen system to bolster the war-torn nation’s recovery from the devastation of the Russian invasion.

This provides a ripe opportunity for Japan to publicize its high-speed train system as it has been stepping up efforts to export its railway technology abroad.

In late May, a Japanese government insider heard Ukrainian ambassador Sergiy Korsunsky request that “Japan’s Shinkansen be included as part of rebuilding support” after the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima.

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov, who is in charge of infrastructure, reportedly also expressed interest in bullet trains in mid-June while he was visiting Japan for a meeting to discuss Ukraine’s economic reconstruction.

However, there are significant obstacles to clear before the project can become a reality.

MATTER OF RAIL WIDTH

In addition to making Ukraine’s transportation system faster with Japan’s Shinkansen technology, the rail reconstruction project also presents an opportunity for Ukraine to strengthen ties with Western Europe--and diminish Russian access.

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 neighbors.

In May last year, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced plans to change the country’s rail width to be consistent with the European criteria.

The decision to improve passengers’ accessibility to the Western states, and reduce Moscow’s clout, was seen as key 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.

JAPAN EAGER TO EXPORT

The Japanese government has been beefing up infrastructure facilities exports as part of its economic growth tactics, wary of the shrinking domestic market and the dwindling birthrate within Japan.

The Shinkansen is viewed as one of the most promising offerings under the national endeavor--boasting an untarnished record of zero fatal accidents from derailments or collisions over the course of more than 50 years since the punctual, high-speed rail system’s opening.

In 2007, a high-speed transit network utilizing Japanese bullet train technology opened in Taiwan for the first time.

Japan is also looking to share its technology used for the Tokaido Shinkansen Line with the United States, in the hopes of linking Dallas with Houston in vast Texas.

A similar initiative is under way to build a Shinkansen line between Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand, while Vietnam is looking to connect Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with a bullet train line.

OBSTRUCTIONS ON THE TRACK

However, Japanese Shinkansen export efforts face growing competition from other nations.

Japan lost the bid to China to build a rapid rail network for the Jakarta-Bandung route in Indonesia.

The governments of Malaysia and Singapore have already dropped their plans to lay a Shinkansen track between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Local uncertainties can also present challenges that hamper the seamless launch of a bullet train line.

For example, the leaders of Japan and India agreed in 2015 to develop a Shinkansen line between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The intention was to export East Japan Railway Co. (JR East)’s E5 series, which is currently running in Japan on the Tohoku Shinkansen Line.

However, difficulty in acquiring land and other obstructions have delayed production so significantly that completion is predicted to be in 2028 rather than 2023.

Meanwhile, costs have ballooned to 3 trillion yen ($20.32 billion) from the initial estimate of 1.8 trillion yen.

The Japanese government extends loans that are to be repaid over 50 years at an annual interest rate of 0.1 percent to cover construction costs.

This extraordinarily generous assistance is part of the state’s comprehensive support to lessen the substantial risk of such large construction projects.

Despite this, some still question whether the Shinkansen service can turn a profit as a private business.

For Ukraine, the prolonged war makes even conducting an on-site survey, a necessary procedure before building rail tracks, unrealistic for the near future.

The United Nations Development Program list mine clearance, debris removal, energy supply support and other such initiatives as reconstruction priorities.

A Japanese government insider agreed, saying, “Utilities for power, water and heating have to be restored to their former state within one to two years.

"Reconstruction programs like one concerning Shinkansen should be weighed under a 10-year strategy following that.”

(This article was written by Shinkai Kawabe and Go Takahashi.)