Japan May Send Maglev Train Expertise To U.S., Without A Fee
The technology behind Japan's magnetically levitated train system, which whooshes passengers to their destinations at speeds topping 300 mph, could come to the U.S. without a traditional license fee, according to Japanese media outlets.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe discussed the idea with President Obama last February, officials say. Japan is also willing to include billions in loans to help underwrite what would be a very expensive project, a government source tells The Japan Times.
Here's more from the newspaper:
"Tokyo is considering the possibility in order to realize a maglev high-speed train service linking Washington and Baltimore, Maryland, the source said.
"Japan has also unofficially offered loans worth about 500 billion [nearly $5 billion] to help bring about the service, which is expected to require about 1 trillion [$9.8 billion] in investments."