Remarkable developments are unfolding in Japan, the country known for introducing karaoke bars, sushi conveyor belts, square watermelons, and advanced high-tech toilets.
It's also a world leader in public infrastructure, sporting wonders like the lofty Tokyo Sky Tree, the immense Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel, and the 300-meter tall Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge. There's also the matter of the Shinkansen bullet train network, connecting riders to major cities across the country at speeds of up to 225 mph.
Undergirding these dazzling public works is good old Japanese engineering, known for precision, innovation, and dependability.
Case in point, the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) announced the completion of a 3D-printed train station, which it says is a world first.
Plans to replace a crumbling wooden station in Wakayama Prefecture were first announced on March 11, 2025, and the printed building was more or less put together by March 26th in the span of just under three hours.
To accomplish this, JR West partnered with Serendix, a company specializing in 3D-printed homes. Serendix transported the station in four sections by rail, which were then assembled during a break in the train schedule. Despite the rural station covering only 10 square meters, the construction took less than half of the originally estimated six hours.
The construction method is said to have also reduced costs, with The Japan Times reporting that it came in at half the price of reinforced concrete. The company claims that the station is designed to endure the region's severe earthquakes as well.
Once the station goes online in July, citizens of the coastal city of Arida will be able to resume 90-minute trips to the uninhabited island of Jinoshima, a popular destination for summer travelers.
The ease with which Japan rolled out the station underscores the country's commitment to public transit. Surprisingly, the majority Japan's metro and regional rail services are privately owned — an anomaly compared to most publicly-owned systems throughout the world. The secret is that many of Japan's transit companies also operate as property developers.
With some carefully regulation, these companies are able to rapidly develop urban areas around public infrastructure, and invest in innovative new technology like 3D printed buildings.
Source: Futurism.com
Bd-pratidin English/ Afia
