The development of realistic high-speed trains in Japan was started by South Manchuria Railways (so-called Mantetsu), which laid railways across Manchuria (the present northeast part of China) that was under control of Japan at that time.
日本における現実的な高速列車開発は、日本の勢力下に在った満州（現在の中国東北部）を縦断する南満州鉄道（満鉄）に始まる。