Tokyo, March 26th, 2026 — AGC (AGC Inc., Headquarters: Tokyo; President: Yoshinori Hirai) has developed a “Transparent 5G Glass Antenna” (hereinafter “5G Glass Antenna”) that has been adopted by Central Japan Railway Company (President & CEO: Shunsuke Niwa; hereinafter “JR Central”) for premium‑class seats installed in selected N700S trainsets on the Tokaido Shinkansen. By integrating antenna functionality directly into the train windows, this product stabilizes radio signal transmission and reception even at high speeds, thereby enhancing Wi‑Fi quality for premium‑class passengers. Its ultra‑fine mesh structure makes the antenna lines unobtrusive, ensuring that visibility is not impaired and scenic views from the train windows remain unaffected. Commercial operation of the train equipped with these premium‑class seats is scheduled to begin in October 2026. This will mark the world’s first* commercial operation of a railway vehicle equipped with a 5G glass antenna.
In recent years, as diverse use cases have expanded—such as conducting online meetings while traveling— there has been a growing demand for further improvements in the comfort and reliability of onboard Wi‑Fi environments. In conventional onboard Wi‑Fi services, communication is conducted between trackside base stations and 4G antennas installed inside the train, with signals passing through openings in the train body such as windows. As a result, radio signals tend to weaken when passing through the windows or body panels, and depending on location or conditions, communication may become unstable, making it difficult to maintain a comfortable level of connectivity.
* Based on AGC’s research (as of the end of February 2026)
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