IHRA FORUM

IHRA Forum 2025

IHRA Forum 2025
Painting the Future Landscapes with High-Speed Rail
— Bridging to a Better Tomorrow —

Overview

Opening Remarks

Masafumi Shukuri
International High-Speed Rail Association (IHRA)

Guest of Honor Remarks

Shigeru Ishiba
Former Prime Minister of Japan
Yasushi Kaneko
Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
(Read by Yoshimichi Terada, Vice-Minister for Transport, Tourism and International Affairs, MLIT)

Session 1
What the World Expects in Reliable Rapid Connectivity for Global Growth

Keynote Address

Yoshimichi Terada
Vice-Minister for Transport, Tourism and International Affairs, MLIT

Panelists

Jill Rossouw
Chair, High Speed Rail Authority, Australia
Achal Khare
Founding Managing Director of NHSRCL, India
Odo R. M. Manuhutu
Deputy Coordinating Minister for Connectivity,
Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Indonesia
The Rt Hon. the Lord McLoughlin CH
Former Secretary of State for Transport, UK

Moderator

Tomohiko Taniguchi
Specially Appointed Professor, University of Tsukuba, Japan

Session 2
Shaping the Future Together : Railway and Urban Development

Panelists

Yuji Fukasawa
Chairman of the Board of Directors, East Japan Railway Company
Cheng-Chung Young
Director of the Board, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation
Pichet Kunadhamraks
Director General, Department of Rail Transport, Ministry of Transport, Thailand
Yoichi Kanayama
Special Research Professor, Department of Urban Design, University of Toyama

Moderator

Hironori Kato
Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Japan

Session 3
Present State and Future Outlook of HSR projects

Panelists

Anjum Pervez
Managing Director, National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd, India
Pichet Kunadhamraks
Director General, Department of Rail Transport, Ministry of Transport, Thailand
Robert C. Lauby P.E.
President, RCL Rail Safety Consulting, LLC / Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer (Retired), FRA, US
Nguyen Tien Thin
Deputy Director General, Viet Nam Railway Authority, Ministry of Construction, Vietnam

Moderator

Joseph Schmelzeis Jr.
Vice Chairman, International High-Speed Rail Association (IHRA), US

Session 4
Driving the Evolution of HSR: Technology and Talent

Panelists

Shunichi Usui
Corporate Executive Officer, Central Japan Railway Company, Japan
Shinichi Tamai
Director-General for Railway Technology
Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT)
Jim Brewin
Chief Director UK & Ireland, Hitachi Rail, UK
Neil Robertson
Chief Executive, The National Skills for Rail (NSAR), UK

Moderator

Larry Kelterborn
President, LDK Advisory Inc., Canada

Closing Remarks

Danny Broad
Former Chairman, Australasian Railway Association Chairman, TrackSAFE Foundation, Australia
SCROLL