First Train Service in Japan Begins

On July 25, 1866, the first steam locomotive ran on the Yokohama-Shinagawa line, Japan's earliest railway. Built with British assistance under engineer Edmund Morel, the 4-mile segment used 3 ft 6 in gauge track and featured British-built locomotives like the 'Iron Duke' type. This event followed the Meiji Restoration and symbolized Japan's rapid modernization and industrialization. Key figures included government official Inoue Masaru. The line later expanded into the Tokaido Main Line, transforming travel and commerce. It overcame cultural resistance to foreign technology and laid the foundation for Japan's world-renowned high-speed rail network.