Activity

First, about the Japanese company, which I will call NE to get around the moderation software.., from Wikipedia:
NE is a logistics services company. Its head office is based in Tokyo, Japan.
The company was established in 1937 … as a semi-government transportat ion service. The Company was established by pooling the assets of International Express Co., Ltd., which consolidated many of the nation’s small-scale rail transport companies, and six other compet itors, with additional funding from the Japanese government.
NE annual revenues exceed $14 billion USD. NE has a strong global network that spans over 40 countries, with company direct operations in 33 nations.
At the end of 2013 NE bought 67 percent of Panasonic Logistics which is owned by Japanese electronics group Panasonic Corp.

Now, from the article:
Nippon Express’s move will likely prompt Japanese companies to seek business opportunities along the route. The transportation company and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy plan to start the cargo service in 2018.

It takes about 15 to 18 days for a train to carry goods from an eastern Chinese city like Shanghai to Germany and surrounding areas. The cost is about $5,000 to $6,000 per 40-foot container. Shipping by sea costs about half that but takes almost twice as long. By air, the shipment would take a few days but cost more than twice as much.

Nippon Express expects demand from companies based in China that want their auto components, precision equipment or fast fashions to be delivered in a timely manner.

In the other direction, Nippon Express expects to carry wine, vehicles, clothing and various other goods. As consumers become increasingly sensitive to quality, Nippon Express expects to carry more food products, such as powdered milk, eastward. The Kazakh railway company hopes to receive orders from Nippon Express’s European customers wishing to send goods to China.

In May, China held an international conference on the initiative, which is spearheaded by President Xi Jinping. Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-general of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, attended. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed interest in helping advance the initiative, as long as transparency and fairness are assured.

The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China has set up a liaison office. The aim is to share information among member companies and to hold trade fairs and seminars, among other activities. Megabanks such as the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ and Mizuho Bank have also begun looking for ways to help client companies expand their Chinese operations under the initiative.