Press Releases（Archive）
FY2012 - FY2003

Inauguration Schedule for the Hachinohe to Shin-Aomori Route

• The Tohoku Shinkansen Hachinohe to Shin-Aomori route is scheduled to begin service in December 2010.
  
• As stated in an earlier announcement, the speed of the Shinkansen will be increased gradually from the end of 2010 to the end of 2013.
• A specific opening day will be decided at a later date.
  

Increasing the Speed of the Shinkansen

• The speed during commercial service will be increased gradually after the opening of the Shin-Aomori route, from the end of 2010 to the end of 2013.
  
• High-speed operations will be conducted on the Tohoku Shinkansen between Omiya and Morioka.
  
• High-speed operations will be conducted using new model cars.
  
• The number of high-speed trains running at the end of 2010 will be 2 – 3 round-trip "Hayate"; by the end of 2013, all current "Hayate/Komachi" trains will be running at high speed.
  
• Specific train options will be examined at a later date.
  

Schedule (planned) December 2010 End of FY2010 End of FY2012 End of FY2013 Top Speed Omiya – Utsunomiya (Currently: 240 km/h） 240 km/h 275 km/h 275 km/h 275 km/h Utsunomiya – Morioka (Currently: 275 km/h) 275 km/h 300 km/h 320 km/h 320 km/h Travel time (Tokyo – Shin-Aomori, fastest train) Approx. 3 hours 20 minutes Approx. 3 hours 10 minutes Approx. 3 hours 5 minutes High-speed operation trains ― New model "Hayate" 300 km/h New model "Hayate" 320 km/h New model "Hayate/Komachi" Coupled service 320 km/h New model "Hayate/Komachi" Coupled service 300 km/h