[JP] Opening Date of Japan's Maglev Shinkansen Line Changed to 2028 or later

[Miss Maglev]

Opening Date of Japan's Maglev Shinkansen Line Changed to 2028 or later

Central Japan Railway Co., or JR Tokai [...] changed the target as it is unclear when the company will be able to start a tunnel drilling in a section in Shizuoka Prefecture. [...] The company included the new target in a filing with the transport ministry about construction work between Shinagawa Station in Tokyo and Nagoya Station in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan.

JR Tokai President Shunsuke Niwa has previously said it is difficult to open the maglev line in 2027. [...]

Source: Tokyo, Dec. 14 (Jiji Press)-https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj20231 ... anged.html Accesssed 2023-12-14

[Miss Maglev]

The company decided at a board meeting on Thursday to make the change for the section between Tokyo's Shinagawa and Nagoya.
[...]
The delay is due to an objection from Shizuoka Prefecture which is along the train's route. [...] Because of the deadlock, the train operator had expressed that the launch of the operation in 2027 would be difficult. On Thursday, it formally notified the change to the government.

Shizuoka Governor Kawakatsu Heita last month indicated that he may approve preventive measures proposed by the railway company over the water level issue of a river. But he also said he wants the issue to be further discussed at the prefecture's expert panel to confirm the plan's feasibility.

Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231214_33/ Accessed 2023-12-14

[Miss Maglev]

On December 28, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism approved JR Tokai's plan to change the start of construction of the delayed Linear Central Shinkansen Line in Shizuoka Prefecture from "2027" to "after 2027".

JR Tokai decided to change the opening date of the Linear Central Shinkansen Line connecting Shinagawa in Tokyo and Nagoya from "2027" to "after 2027" and submitted an application to the government on the 14th of this month.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism approved the change on March 28, and Shigeki Murata, director general of the Railway Bureau, presented a letter of approval to JR Tokai President Shunsuke Niwa.

Shizuoka Prefecture has not approved the start of construction of the Linear Central Shinkansen, citing concerns that the construction of the tunnel would reduce the volume of water in the Oi River, which flows through the prefecture, and have a negative impact on the ecosystem of the Southern Alps.

As a result, although all necessary plans for construction have been approved, the opening date remains uncertain.

After receiving the approval letter, President Niwa told reporters, "There is no change in the situation where we cannot give a new opening date because it is difficult to open in 2027. We will continue to work earnestly for the start of construction of the Shizuoka construction zone while valuing two-way communication, and we will continue to do our utmost to achieve an early opening.

Source: Translated info from NHK: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/202312 ... 11000.html Accessed 2024-01-01