From 5 to 8 October 2026, the UIC-East Japan Railway Company (JR East) Workshop on Digital Transformation and Standardisation in Construction and Asset Management was held in Tokyo. It brought together 12 railway professionals from 10 member countries, namely Australia, Azerbaijan, India, Kazakhstan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
About the UIC-JR East Workshop
Following the successful inaugural event in 2025, a proposal for a second edition of the workshop to be held in 2026 was submitted by JR East and was accepted by UIC Asia-Pacific members as a regional opt-in project. A distinctive feature of the UIC-JR East Workshop is that beyond showcasing JR East's initiatives, it encourages participants to share challenges, experiences, and best practices from their own organisations, creating opportunities for mutual learning, new insights, and practical discussions.
This year's workshop focused on digital transformation (DX) in construction management and asset management. While railway undertakings face different business environments, many are confronted with similar challenges such as workforce shortages, aging infrastructure, and the need to improve productivity. This event served as a platform to discuss how digital technology can help address these challenges.
Exploring the frontiers of digital transformation and data utilisation
Throughout the workshop, JR East presented its design, construction management, and infrastructure maintenance initiatives using Building Information Modelling (BIM) and point cloud data. Participants also shared their views on how digital technology can be applied to overcome common industry challenges.
The programme included technical visits to the Shinagawa Development Project and the Haneda Airport Access Line Project, where participants learned about safety management, construction management adjacent to operating railway lines, and project management practices that leverage existing railway infrastructure.
Participants showed particular interest in:
- Project management approaches that enable large-scale urban development while maintaining intensive railway operations
- Strategies for maximising the value of existing assets to meet new transport demands
The workshop also featured a visit to CalTa, a JR East Group startup company. Participants explored practical applications of TRANCITY, CalTa's digital twin platform, and discussed how three-dimensional digital environments can support infrastructure maintenance, inspection, and construction planning.
During the final discussion session, participants agreed that integrating construction, maintenance, and asset management data can enable more advanced decision-making and asset management practices.
Participants also highlighted that:
- Digital twins and 3D data can significantly enhance infrastructure and asset management.
- Integrating asset information with field data can lead to more sophisticated asset management approaches.
- The knowledge gained during the workshop can be applied to accelerate digital transformation and workforce development within their own organisations.
Acknowledgements
This workshop was conducted with the endorsement of UIC Asia-Pacific members. The UIC Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA) team would like to thank all of the members who supported this workshop programme, the participants, and the JR East Group project team for organising this event.
For more information, please go to the UIC Academy and the JR-East official website and LinkedIn page.
Website: Global Railway Business | JR-EAST
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jreast/
