Abstract: As the earliest country in the world building and operating high-speed railways, Japan had a relatively complete legal system for high-speed railway safety, which had important reference and enlightenment for China high-speed railway safety legislation. By introducing the general situation of Japan's high-speed railway safety legislation, the main contents and characteristics of Japan's high-speed railway safety legislation were analyzed, and the enlightenment of Japan's high-speed railway safety legislation to China were put forward. It shows that Japan has established a comprehensive legal system for the safety of Shinkansen. The legislation regulates personnel risk, equipment risk and environmental risk, which has the characteristics of classified legislation, complete system, reasonable explanation, etc. Chinese high-speed railway safety legislation should be improved and perfected in the aspects of continuous improvement of legislation, strengthening the analysis of accident causes, and attaching importance to reform.

Key words: high-speed railways, Japan, legislation, risk, institution