ニュース 2010/05/14 Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Maehara meets with Japanese-American delegation On May 14, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Seiji Maehara received a courtesy call from a delegation of Japanese-Americans at the Ministry. Maehara welcomed the delegation, and went on to touch on his recent visit to the US during the Golden Week vacation, and on the visit he had received from US Transport Secretary Ray LaHood a few days previously. He explained that the public and private sectors were working together to encourage the use of the Shinkansen (bullet train) in the US government’s High-Speed Rail Strategic Plan. In response, the leader of the delegation, the Vice Chair of the US-Japan Council Kaz Maniwa, and other delegation members praised the high-level technology and excellent safety record of Japan’s Shinkansen. They said that there were many difficulties to be resolved before either East Japan Railway or Central Japan Railway could bid successfully for contracts in the US, but expressed their strong support and expectations for such efforts, indicating that such a move would benefit the United States.