About 600 people from Malaysia's public and private sectors attended Wednesday's session in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia plans to build a 300-kilometer high-speed rail line from Kuala Lumpur to neighboring Singapore. Trains will cover the distance in 90 minutes. The government seeks to start the service in 2026, and will conduct bidding this year.

At the session, Japan's transport minister Keiichi Ishii said the Japanese bullet train system has contributed to regional growth and is a driving force for the country. He expressed hope that the system will also help Malaysia to develop.

Executive Vice President of East Japan Railway Yuji Fukazawa explained at the following symposium how the Hokuriku Shinkansen line helped to boost tourism. The line, which connects Tokyo and Ishikawa Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast, opened in 2015.

Fukazawa said the prefecture drew about 3 million more tourists annually after the launch of the line and jobs were created along the line.

An official at a Malaysian railway operator said he believes the Shinkansen system can contribute to high-speed railway networks in his country.

He noted that Japan has been operating the system safely for more than 50 years.

China is also stepping up efforts to win a contract in bidding for Malaysia's high-speed railway.