Reports in the Japanese press indicate that preliminary plans involving the Shinkansen system in the project have been rejected, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

construction of the high-speed rail

Japanese companies declined to participate in the tender for the high-speed railway construction between Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Singapore due to concerns about the lack of financial support from the Malaysian government.

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Interested companies, including East Japan Railway, had initially considered incorporating the local Shinkansen system but deemed the investment too risky without government backing.

The $21 billion project has faced setbacks, initially agreed upon by Malaysia and Singapore in 2013, canceled in 2020, and then revived in July of the previous year.

Malaysia aims to fund this latest attempt through private investments rather than relying on state funds for construction.

The rejection by Japanese companies raises significant concerns given the country’s long-standing interest in the idea, demonstrated by the visit of its then-Transport Minister Keiichi Ishii in 2015 to present the Shinkansen system to official authorities.

Alongside East Japan Railway, trading company Sumitomo had also expressed interest in supporting the project during its initial proposal.

Photo: kalcubemaster/Shutterstock.com

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