The Tokaido Shinkansen began service in 1964. Autumn 2003 sees the inauguration of a new station at Shinagawa, and with it a maximum operating speed of 270 km/h for all rolling stock; this will greatly enhance the line's accessibility and level of service. The project to speed up the Tokaido Shinkansen to 270 km/h started in 1988, and this paper will chart the course of the adaptation and development of the technology.
