Schwarzenegger impressed by Japan's bullet train technology

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TOKYO, Sept. 14 Kyodo -
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday took a test ride of a
chartered shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Omiya in Saitama
Prefecture, north of the capital, as his state is seeking to introduce a
high-speed railway system.
The governor, who is on a two-day trade mission to Japan from Monday, told
reporters the train was ''quiet and futuristic'' and that he was ''impressed by
the technology and infrastructure itself.''
He also promoted Californian products at a supermarket in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward.
Earlier in the day, Schwarzenegger praised Japan's high-speed railway system at
a breakfast meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan at a Tokyo
hotel, saying the Japanese ''have a genius mind'' and developed the bullet
train system that has ''had no casualties in all of these decades operating.''
''We want to have that kind of mind and technology helping us'' in building a
high-speed railway system in his state.
He highlighted the importance of infrastructure to spur the local economy and
meet the needs of the increasing population in California, which is projected
to reach 50 million by 2040 from the current level of 38 million.
''If you don't have the infrastructure in place, your economy can never grow. I
have been fanatic about infrastructure ever since I became governor,'' said
Schwarzenegger, who took office in 2003.
The project to build a high-speed railway system, centered around a line
linking San Francisco and Los Angeles, is expected to cost $40 billion and
countries such as Britain, Germany, France, China and South Korea have been
bidding for it, he said.
The governor is visiting Japan with Californian business representatives as
part of a three-nation Asian trip, which also involves visits to China and
South Korea and test rides of high-speed rail systems in the three countries.
Schwarzenegger pitched tourism and products of his state such as wines and
sought mutually beneficial business relations with Japan. ''We also like to
help the Japanese because both of us are right now stagnant when it comes to
the economy and both can help each other,'' he said.
The governor also said California is promoting alternative power sources for
vehicle engines, such as hydrogen, electricity and hybrid, to achieve the
state's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020 to
return to 1990 levels and that the planned introduction of more trains is in
line with that policy.
Following the ACCJ meeting, Schwarzenegger met with Tokyo Gov. Shintaro
Ishihara to exchange views on environmental issues.
==Kyodo
2010-09-14 23:27:23