InsideJapan News Network

Japan Rail (JR) East is to launch a new category of first-class train car on the country's bullet train network, known in Japanese as Shinkansen.

The company has confirmed that a number of bullet trains using the company's Tohoku Shinkansen Line will feature the extended luxurious service, which has been described as akin to the first-class facilities offered on a non-domestic journey by air, reports Mainichi Daily News.

The new first-class carriages will be known as super-green cars.

"Shinkansen is a high-speed rail system that serves as the core of Japan's rail transportation network," said the Japan Railways Group.

"The Shinkansen network has carried over six billion passengers without a single major accident."

Although the new first-class service will initially be available on three trains in 2010, there are plans to extend the service.