Tōkaidō Shinkansen Construction Begins

Japanese National Railways launched construction of the 515 km Tōkaidō Shinkansen, introducing dedicated high-speed infrastructure with no level crossings and advanced signaling. The project overcame mountainous terrain and dense urban areas using extensive tunneling and viaducts. When it opened in 1964 it set new global standards for speed, punctuality, and passenger volume, inspiring high-speed networks worldwide.