>>1639079>Nationalised JR innovated true high-speed rail and the bullet trainThe shinkansen lines operated at most 240 km/h (220 on the Tokaido) until privatization, while the TGV and the ICE inaugurated with 280 km/h in the 80's and 90's.
The true innovations (the practical, not flashiest things) came with privatization, like pic related which solved the sound pollution issue JNR never could deal with.