The government will allow state loans to be used to augment bids for high-speed train projects in the United States, transport minister Seiji Maehara told reporters in Tokyo on Friday.
Maehara also said he will visit the U.S. from Thursday to May 1 to pitch the nation's shinkansen technology. Arrangements for meetings with his counterparts are under way.
"Since its service started 45 years ago, the shinkansen has never caused fatal accidents (except for suicides) and its average delay on schedule is only less than one minute," Maehara said.
Japan's first bullet train debuted on Oct. 1, 1964, nine days before the opening of the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Maehara said he will stress the safety and environmental benefits of shinkansen technology during his upcoming visit.