{JP] Shizuoka governor's resignation may remove hurdle for maglev project
Posted: 3. Apr 2024, 22:55
Shizuoka governor's resignation may remove hurdle for maglev project
- -Source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/ ... or-maglev/ Accessed 2024-04-03
- -Source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/ ... or-maglev/ Accessed 2024-04-03
Source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/ ... or-maglev/ Accessed 2024-04-03The resignation of Shizuoka Prefecture's governor has raised the possibility of a successor who might greenlight the construction of a tunnel through the prefecture for Central Japan Railway's (JR Central) magnetic levitation line connecting Tokyo and Nagoya.
Tuesday's surprise resignation announcement by Shizuoka Gov. Heita Kawakatsu came just days after the operator of the maglev shinkansen said there would be a delay in its opening due to the governor's refusal to approve construction in the prefecture. The four-term governor is a long-time opponent of construction associated with the next-generation shinkansen.
Citing JR Central’s decision to abandon the planned 2027 opening of the maglev line, Kawakatsu said Wednesday that he chose to resign because it represented a break in the standoff between himself and JR Central, which has centered on environmental concerns.
“The Southern Alps (including parts of northern Shizuoka where the maglev will pass through) is a National Park. I believe it’s Japan’s national policy to protect the nature of such parks,” Kawakatsu told reporters.