[4][5][6] After the demand for ships decreased following the end of the First World War, Hitachi, under its founder Namihei Odaira, acquired the Kasado Factory in Kudamatsu, Yamaguchi from a nearly bankrupt shipbuilder.

[7] Hitachi has been involved in the development of nearly all types of Shinkansen rolling stock, as well as their operating systems, including automatic train control.

[14] On February 24, 2015, Hitachi agreed to purchase the Italian rolling stock manufacturer Ansaldo Breda and acquire Finmeccanica's stake in Ansaldo STS, the railway signaling division of Finmeccanica[15] The purchase was completed later that year,[16] at which point the company was renamed as Hitachi Rail Italy.

[17] In July 2020, Hitachi signed an exclusive agreement with Hyperdrive, a UK-based lithium-ion battery company, to bring battery-powered trains to the country.

[21] In late 2022, Hitachi Rail won the contract to supply train sets for the Ontario Line being planned in Toronto, Canada.

[24] In July 2024, Hitachi Rail won the contract to supply new M-5 trainsets for the SEPTA Metro's Market–Frankford Line in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US.