China and Japan race to dominate future of high-speed rail

A ‘shinkansen’ E5 series, or high speed bullet train, at Tokyo Station in Tokyo, Japan, on Oct 22. — Charly Triballeau/AFP

Japan and China are racing to build a new type of ultra-fast, levitating train, seeking to demonstrate their mastery over a technology with big export potential.

Magnetic levitation, or maglev, trains use powerful magnets to glide along charged tracks at super fast speeds made possible by the lack of friction. A handful of short distance and experimental maglev trains are already in operation, but Asia’s two biggest economies are vying to develop what would be the world’s first long-distance intercity lines.