July 13, 2007 (LPAC)--The Japanese government is "teaming up" with Russia on projects to develop the Trans-Siberian Rail Line for mass cargo transit between East Asia and Europe, Japanese Embassy Counsel Takeshi Hihihara told a cooperation conference in Nizhni Novgorod July 11, according to a Voice of Russia report.

Japan plans to propose use of the famous Japanese "Shinkansen" bullet train technology for the Trans-Siberian, as well as other rail routes in Russia, Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun had reported July 1. High-speed transport could cut the current over-two-weeks transport time on the TransSib, in half.

Japan is interested not only in renewing the rail lines, but also in developing new industry along the Trans-Siberian Railway. Tokyo is setting up a working group of officials and business leaders from both nations, and will develop concrete proposals by this autumn. Japan wants to secure energy resources from the Russian side, Yomiuri reported.

State-owned Russian Railways head Vladimir Yakun

in announced plans to build high-speed rail links in western Russia already in February, including Moscow-St Petersburg and Moscow-Nizhni Novgorod and Moscow-Sochi. At the end of February, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov went to Japan, where he initiated discussions on joint work on energy and rail development.

In late April, Yakunin met with Japanese business leaders to discuss plans for the high-speed rail system, and said Russia would send experts to Japan, because it wants to look at the most modern technology available. Russia will have to lay new tracks if the Shinkansen is to be used. Now, Japanese sources are reporting that Russia wants to complete its rail modernization by 2030.