The unique feature of the Japanese Maglev system is that the vehicles are propelled and levitated using the superconducting magnets on board. The development of this system was started in 1970. In 1977, Japanese National Railways constructed a 7-km test track in Miyazaki prefecture. Many kinds of running tests have been continued these nearly 20 years. after attaining the speed record of 517 km/h in 1979.
As a result of the success on the Miyazaki Test Track. the construction of a longer test line was decided in 1989 and was completed at the end of 1996. The running tests using the first train set of MLX 01 were started in April 1997.