The Superconducting Maglev is equipped with a braking system capable of safely stopping a train traveling at 311mph. Regenerative braking is normally used for deceleration, but if it becomes unavailable, the Superconducting maglev also has wheel disc brakes and aerodynamic brakes. On the Yamanashi Maglev Line, the braking system has been repeatedly examined on tough scenarios, e.g. an unlikely scenario of having to switch from 311mph operation to wheeled operation, in order to ensure operational safety.

Even if the power goes out, levitation forces keeps the train in the air while it is traveling at high speed. The vehicle comes safely to a stop rather than suddenly falling onto the track. Even if one substation suffers an outage, electricity can be fed from an adjacent substation, providing a high degree of redundancy.

The Superconducting Maglev is a quake-resilient system. Its vehicle operates without contact, levitating about 3.9in inside a U-shaped guideway. Magnetic force from levitation and guidance coils keeps the vehicle centered in the guideway, both vertically and horizontally, preventing derailment at the time of an earthquake. The Chuo Shinkansen will have most of its terminal stations (Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka) as well as most of its routes in tunnels and underground structures. Since earthquake tremors are smaller in underground spaces, the Chuo Shinkansen is resilient to natural disasters. The Earthquake Rapid Alarm System (TERRA-S), used successfully in the Tokaido Shinkansen, will also be adopted to decelerate and stop trains early in case of an earthquake.

Superconducting Maglev’s vehicle is built with non-flammable and flame-retardant materials that meet flammability specifications under a relevant ordinance issued by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Fire extinguishers are deployed in cars for initial fire response. Partition doors are placed at both ends of the trainset, while gangway connections (automatic doors) are provided between individual cars. If a fire breaks out, the train continues to the next stop or outside of a tunnel before stopping, in principle, so as to ensure swift and safe passenger evacuation.

Approximately 86% of the Shinagawa - Nagoya section of the Chuo Shinkansen runs through tunnels. The emergency protocol is, similarly to the Tokaido Shinkansen, for the train to travel through to the next station or outside a tunnel. Even if it becomes inevitable to stop inside a tunnel and have passengers disembark for evacuation, JR Central will have a plan in place to guide and evacuate passengers safely and swiftly.

At the Yamanashi Maglev Line, we carry out evacuation drills periodically in various scenarios, using actual vehicle facilities.