Tokaido Shinkansen Extension

On May 21, 1966, Japanese National Railways inaugurated upgraded track and signaling systems on the Tokaido Shinkansen, allowing more frequent 0 Series bullet train operations at speeds up to 210 km/h. This followed the original 1964 opening and addressed growing passenger demand ahead of the 1970 Osaka Expo. Engineers introduced advanced automatic train control and aerodynamic designs for the iconic white trains. The extension strengthened Japan's postwar economic miracle by slashing travel time between major cities to under three hours, inspiring global high-speed rail development and becoming a symbol of technological excellence.