Japan's Hitachi is building a train factory in Britain to produce high-speed trains for the British railways, Japanese media reported.
Officials from Hitachi as well as the British government attended a ceremony on Friday to mark the start of construction of the $120-million plant in Newton Aycliffe in northeastern England.
Hitachi has won contract to produce 866 carriages and maintenance service for 27 years. The company plans to start operation in 2016 hiring 730 local employees, according to the NHK broadcaster.
British Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin said the new plant would also help create jobs along the supply chains.
Hitachi Rail Europe CEO Alistair Dormer said Hitachi's high skills and experience in producing bullet trains in Japan could be of great help to Britain. Hitachi hopes that the new plant could lead to other railway projects in Europe.
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