Indonesia’s decision to drop a planned high-speed rail project after playing Japan and China against each other has left Tokyo feeling strung along.
Darmin Nasution, Indonesia’s coordinating minister for the economy, informed Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Yasuaki Tanizaki Friday that neither Japan’s nor China’s proposal will be used.
Japan had gotten a head start on China
Touting the lengthy safety record of the shinkansen bullet train, Japan’s infrastructure and trade ministries each provided support for feasibility studies starting in 2009.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency also launched a study in late 2013, adding momentum to the push for Japanese bullet train technology.
