Japan may have found a silver lining in the March earthquake, seeking to sell bullet trains abroad, as the high-speed train system proved resilient against the powerful 9.0-magnitude temblor of March 11.
Shinkansen have long been synonymous with safety. But experts and government officials say safety alone is not enough to market the trains, saying more is needed, including flexibility that caters to local needs, to compete with European countries and emerging Asian rivals.
When the massive quake struck the northeast, 27 bullet trains, including a model that can hit speeds of 275 kph, were traveling in the Tohoku region.