Editing Linear motor (section)

===== Japanese Linear Metro =====
One of the biggest challenges faced by Japanese railway engineers in the 1970s to the 1980s was the ever increasing construction costs of subways. In response, the Japan Subway Association began studying on the feasibility of the "mini-metro" for meeting urban traffic demand in 1979. In 1981, the Japan Railway Engineering Association studied on the use of [[linear induction motors]] for such small-profile subways and by 1984 was investigating on the practical applications of linear motors for urban rail with the Japanese [[Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism]]. In 1988, a successful demonstration was made with the Limtrain at [[Saitama, Saitama|Saitama]] and influenced the eventual adoption of the linear motor for the [[Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line]] in [[Osaka]] and Toei Line 12 (present-day [[Toei Oedo Line]]) in [[Tokyo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jametro.or.jp/en/linear/ |title=History of Linear Metro promotion|website=Japan Subway Association}}</ref>

To date, the following subway lines in Japan use linear motors and use [[overhead line]]s for power collection:
* Two [[Osaka Metro]] lines in Osaka:
** [[Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line]] (opened 1990)
** [[Imazatosuji Line]] (opened 2006)
* [[Toei Ōedo Line]] in Tokyo (opened 2000)
* [[Kaigan Line]] of the [[Kobe Municipal Subway]] (opened 2001)
* [[Nanakuma Line]] of the [[Fukuoka City Subway]] (opened 2005)
* [[Yokohama Municipal Subway Green Line]] (opened 2008)
* [[Sendai Subway Tōzai Line]] (opened 2015)

In addition, [[Kawasaki Heavy Industries]] has also exported the Linear Metro to the [[Guangzhou Metro]] in China;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.urbanrail.net/as/guan/guangzhou.htm |title=> Asia > China > Guangzhou Metro |publisher=UrbanRail.Net |access-date=2010-03-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100302081742/http://www.urbanrail.net/as/guan/guangzhou.htm |archive-date=2010-03-02 }}</ref> all of the Linear Metro lines in Guangzhou use third rail electrification:
* [[Line 4 (Guangzhou Metro)|Line 4]] (opened 2005)
* [[Line 5 (Guangzhou Metro)|Line 5]] (opened 2009).
* [[Line 6 (Guangzhou Metro)|Line 6]] (opened 2013)