IHRA member companies support Shinkansen system, the world's safest and most reliable system on a daily basis. We introduce a message from NISHIYAMA Corporation, an associate member that joined IHRA in 2023!

Our company was founded in 1916 and this year marks the 108th anniversary of our foundation. Our expansion to the railway sector dates back to 1919, when we started our business with JR companies (then Japanese Government Railways). After the war, when Japanese Government Railways was transformed into Japanese National Railways, a public corporation in 1949, Railway Anti-vibration rubber was adopted for bogies to prevent vibration of the rolling stock. This gave us an opportunity to develop Railway Anti-vibration rubber in collaboration with our customers and manufacturers, and NISHIYAMA eventually turned into a specialized trading company with a “technological development function”, from a company that mainly delivered ready-made products. The accumulation of know-how as a specialized trading company with “technological development function” led to the adoption of Railway Air Springs, Fall prevention rubber, Railway Anti-vibration rubber and inflatable air seal for the Tokaido Shinkansen which started service in 1964, and these products were also adopted for Sanyo, Tohoku, Akita, Nagano, Kyushu, Hokkaido and Hokuriku Shinkansen. Currently, not only rubber products, but also various vehicle components such as plastic and metal products, as well as ground equipment products including measuring devices and system construction, are used in the track and transport service sectors.

NISHIYAMA 's business policy is "Best Matching - delivering the ‘optimum’ for our customers”. The company has built a system that can respond quickly to rapidly changing needs of our customers, while pursuing technological "tradition" and "innovation". We provide high value-added products not only in Japan but also in collaboration with our overseas bases in the USA, Germany, China, Thailand, and Indonesia, through our global network deployment.

Shinkansen in Japan and Taiwan are based on the principle of 'Crash Avoidance', consisting of dedicated lines with no level crossings and an ATC (Automatic Train Control) system. The addition of the Total System Approach, which takes a unified view of the entire system and optimally integrates hardware and software, enables high-speed, high-volume and high-frequency transport with the world's highest levels of safety and reliability. The features of the Shinkansen are an essential element for social transformation and development through high-speed rail, and the technology that supports the Shinkansen requires a high level of safety and reliability.

The Shinkansen is able to operate safely on a daily basis thanks to the support of numerous companies such as NISHIYAMA Corporation introduced here. We would introduce IHRA member companies supporting the Shinkansen from time to time in the future.