THE JAPAN NEWS

 

JAKARTA (Jiji Press) — The first batch of new Japanese-made train cars to be used for Indonesia’s first subway system arrived at a North Jakarta port on Wednesday.

This marked the first import in some 20 years of new train cars into the Southeast Asian country, where many used train cars manufactured in Japan are used.

The newly imported train cars will be used for the Mass Rapid Transit system, which will start operations in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta in March 2019 with 16 six-car trains.

Japanese railcar manufacturer Nippon Sharyo Ltd. and trading house Sumitomo Corp. have won an order for all the 96 cars. Of them, 12 cars arrived on Wednesday.

William Sabandar, president of PT MRT Jakarta, the operator of the railway, said that automation technologies enable its on-time operation.
The MRT system is partly financed by soft loans from the Japanese government. Its builders include Japanese contractor Shimizu Corp.

The first phase of the project involves the construction of a 15.7-kilometer section, part of which will be underground.