LSN : News : Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

East Japan Railway Company unveils a new era of high-speed rail

E10 Shinkansen train by East Japan Railway Company and Tangerine, Japan and UK

Japan – East Japan Railway Company (JR-East) has revealed the first images of its cutting-edge E10 Shinkansen, designed by UK-based consultancy Tangerine. Set to replace the E2 and E5 models on the Tohoku route, the company expects the train’s transportation to be completed by autumn 2027, with service beginning in 2030.

Tangerine is the first non-Japanese design partner to shape a Shinkansen, crafting the train’s sleek livery and sophisticated interiors. Inspired by Japan’s natural landscape, the design features a striking mid-green exterior with graphics reflecting the silhouette of cherry blossom.

The upper section features tsugaru green, while the lower portion showcases evening elm, both selected to reflect the natural landscapes and mountainous scenery of the Tohoku region along the train’s route.

Inside, there is enhanced luggage space, power outlets at every seat and a thoughtfully designed seating arrangement to ensure greater passenger comfort and improved accessibility.

‘The E10 Shinkansen represents a milestone in UK-Japan collaboration within the rail sector, setting new benchmarks for hospitality-focused design and sustainable travel,’ says Matt Round, chief creative officer at Tangerine.

Our Mobility topic tracks the ideas, innovations and experts helping to shape the future direction of the rail industry.

Strategic opportunity

Transportation businesses should consider incorporating nature-inspired design that references regional landscapes, colours and materials into branding and interiors to enhance cultural identity and passenger experience

Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

Every Friday, we wrap up the topics, issues, ideas and viral moments everyone’s been discussing. This week, deputy foresight editor Dan Hastings delves into Netflix’s Adolescence, decolonising AI and Lady Gaga.

: I have to talk about Adolescence because its impact in just a week has been tremendous. The Guardian’s Michael Hogan suggests the show could even save lives – and he’s right. I hope parents, educators and lawmakers everywhere learn from this gut-wrenching story and start recognising not just the scale of ‘incel culture’ and the need to raise boys better, but also the direct impact it has on the lives of thousands of girls. Just this week, Stylist magazine dedicated its cover to a 13-year-old who has stopped wearing her hair up (too easy to grab) and can’t do anything about a video of a boy at school filming up her skirt, which is still available online. This is their reality. In our new Decoding Masculinity report, we outline a roadmap for brands to respond to the ever-creeping ‘manosphere’ and provide new pathways forward for men who are at risk of radicalisation.

: Atmos reported on Indigenous communities in the Amazon who are developing their own AI assistant, Tainá, to digitally preserve and share traditional knowledge, including cultural practices and ecological wisdom. This community-owned technology empowers them to protect their heritage and environment on their own terms. We saw this coming in 2023 with our Decolonising Data Privacy report.

: In other news, this video of a full AI-generated Chinese girl group is as captivating as it is unsettling for the future of music, Lego has announced Pokémon sets are coming next year, and I’m obsessed with designer Marianna Ladreyt’s Ursula chair, made from interwoven inflatable sharks. Dezeen said she was one of the highlights of Brussels’ Collectible design fair.

Adolescence, courtesy of Netflix

Quote of the week

‘Tonight, I think of my grandmothers. Fiercely brilliant Italian-American women who reinvented their destinies with nothing but strength and dreams and determination. They didn’t invent technology or art; they invented possibility. Those women, my ancestors, they’re the greatest innovators that I’ve ever known’

Lady Gaga receiving the Innovator Award at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards

Stat: Gen Alpha emerges as a power player in household spending

Yumi, US

US – A new study of 2,300 children aged 9–13 published by Razorfish reveals the rising influence of Gen Alpha in household purchasing decisions. More than half of parents (61%) say their children shape family food choices and 77% want to be involved in grocery shopping.

Luxury is already on their radar, with 68% owning a high-end product by age 10 and 35% aspiring to own a luxury car. Their interest in automotive extends beyond aspiration – 53% of parents say their children are more engaged with cars than they were at the same age and 61% report their children have the final say on which vehicle the family buys.

Despite being digital natives, Alphas also crave real-world experiences – 66% would rather pay for physical products over digital-only ones. Despite this, 36% of Alphas say it’s more important to look good online than in real life.

For more insights into how brands can engage this emerging consumer group, head to our Alphas Now and Next: From the Sandbox to Roblox report.

Strategic opportunity

Treat Gen Alpha as active decision-makers, not passive consumers. Develop marketing strategies that engage them directly by offering interactive, hybrid digital-physical experiences and positioning products as family choices, not just adult decisions