The main technique here is candle pruning. Japanese black pine can re-flush in summer, if
at the right time this years' growth is clipped off. The needles on that growth do not have a lot of time to develop. As such, they are shorter. This is combined with the reduction of the number of needles left on each branch over winter, so that less energy is captured to grow the next year.
Harry has a few good articles on this:
bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATPine%20Pruning%20Page2.html