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Taiwan High Speed Rail's New N700ST Train Shipped from Japan
A consortium led by Hitachi Ltd. and Toshiba Corp. held a ceremony on July 30 at Hitachi's Kasado Works in Kudamatsu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, to mark the first shipment of a new high‑speed train for Taiwan. The N700ST train, based on Japan's Shinkansen N700S model, features smaller equipment, lower power consumption and other upgrades. The first set is scheduled to leave the port on August 15 and arrive at Kaohsiung Port, after which static and dynamic tests will be carried out before commercial service begins on July 1 2027. Once all 12 ordered sets are in service, weekly trips are expected to rise from about 1,134 to roughly 1,400.
The ceremony was attended by more than 200 guests, including Taiwan High Speed Rail chairman Shih‑che, Transport Minister Chen Shih‑kai, Hitachi senior vice‑president Giuseppe Marino, and Abe Shōhei, the widow of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The contract signed in 2023 covers 12 N700ST train sets worth about 1,240.9 billion yen (≈HK$62 billion). In addition, Taiwan High Speed Rail announced a 20‑million‑yen donation to aid recovery from the recent Kumamoto earthquake. Taiwanese promotional merchandise – caps, bags, beverage bottles and other N700ST‑branded items – began online sale following the train’s reveal.
Entities
Abe Shōhei · Chen Shih‑kai · Giuseppe Marino · Hitachi · Hitachi Ltd. · N700ST · Taiwan High Speed Rail · Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. · Toshiba Corp.
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Taiwan High Speed Rail donated 20 million yen to relief efforts after the Kumamoto earthquake. www.adnkronos.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The first N700ST train set is scheduled to depart Japan on August 15 and arrive at Kaohsiung Port, Taiwan. news.nextapple.com · unwire.hk
- [● 2 SOURCES] The N700ST trains are expected to enter commercial operation on July 1 2027, increasing weekly trips to about 1,400. news.nextapple.com · unwire.hk
- [● 2 SOURCES] Over 200 participants attended the ceremony, including Abe Shōhei, Transport Minister Chen Shih‑kai, and Hitachi senior VP Giuseppe Marino. news.nextapple.com · unwire.hk
- [● 2 SOURCES] The train model is N700ST, based on Japan's Shinkansen N700S and features smaller equipment and lower power consumption. www.adnkronos.com · unwire.hk
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Promotional N700ST merchandise, including caps and bags, began online sales in Taiwan. news.nextapple.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Hitachi Ltd. and Toshiba Corp. held a ceremony marking the first shipment of a new high‑speed train to Taiwan. www.adnkronos.com · news.nextapple.com · unwire.hk
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Taiwan High Speed Rail ordered 12 N700ST train sets in 2023 for a total contract value of about 1,240.9 billion yen (≈HK$62 billion). unwire.hk