Friction on the Tracks: Why an Ex-Japanese Minister is Blaming India for Bullet Train Delays
Friction on the Tracks: Why an Ex-Japanese Minister is Blaming India for Bullet Train Delays Flagship international infrastructure projects are rarely smooth sailing, but a recent social media post has blown open a rare public diplomatic disagreement between India and Japan. Hideki Makihara, Japan’s former Justice Minister and a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, took to X to sharply criticize Indian negotiators over the timeline of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project. Describing his personal experience working on the project, Makihara alleged "sheer recklessness" on the Indian side. "They just don't keep promises, no matter what. Even if they make a promise, they flip it right away... I feel 100% that the reason this hasn't moved forward is entirely on the Indian side." — Hideki Makihara, Former Japanese Minister Makihara's outburst was triggered by a Japanese media report suggesting that India’s execution of the projec...