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JR Central to Begin Major Tunnel Excavation for Nagoya’s Linear Chuo Shinkansen in January 2026
. . Source: https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article_phot ... id=6672310 Accessed 2025-12-24


JR Central announced on December 23 that it will soon begin full-scale tunnel excavation work for the "Meijo Section" of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen (Maglev) project in central Nagoya. The construction is scheduled to start in mid-January 2026.

According to the company, the Meijo Section covers a 7.6-kilometer stretch connecting the Katsukawa emergency exit in Kasugai City (Aichi Prefecture) to the Meijo emergency exit in downtown Nagoya, continuing all the way to Nagoya Station. The initial phase of the work will proceed from the Meijo exit toward Katsukawa.

JR Central President Shunsuke Niwa emphasized that the project will prioritize safety, environmental protection, and close cooperation with local communities throughout the construction process.

Info based on https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/1183845 Accessed 2025-12-24

Maglev Tunnel Construction Begins Under Central Nagoya for Japan’s Maglev Line

Construction has officially begun on a key underground section of Japan’s Chuo Shinkansen maglev railway beneath central Nagoya. The project segment, known as the “Meijo section,” is a critical part of the future high-speed line linking Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. It spans roughly 7.6 kilometers (about 4.7 miles) between Nagoya Station and Kasugai City in Aichi Prefecture.

On January 13, tunneling work started on a 5.8-kilometer stretch between the Meijo emergency access point in Nagoya and the Katsukawa emergency access point in Kasugai. The tunnel is being excavated at depths reaching up to approximately 70 meters (about 230 feet) below ground, passing beneath densely built urban areas.

JR Central (JR Tokai), the operator and project owner, stated that prior “investigation tunneling” and geological surveys concluded the construction should not affect the ground surface or surrounding structures. According to the company, these studies found no risk of subsidence or other impacts on nearby neighborhoods, infrastructure, or historic sites.

However, JR Central also acknowledged that the preliminary investigation phase took longer than originally anticipated. As a result, completion of this tunneling work is now expected by the end of fiscal year 2027, about two years later than initially planned. The construction schedule for the section between the Meijo access point and Nagoya Station itself is still under review.

Overall, the Meijo construction zone is now projected to be around three and a half years behind the original timeline. Despite the delays, JR Central maintains that safety remains the top priority and that careful underground work is essential given the depth and complexity of tunneling beneath one of Japan’s major metropolitan centers.

Info based on https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/cbc/ ... ?display=1

The following photo shows the planned tunnel design: (Provided by JR Central (JR Tokai), photographed in April 2025.) Source: https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/cbc/2401712?page=2