[JP] Maglev: Shizuoka Approval Doesn't Guarantee Early Opening

[Miss Maglev]

[JP] Maglev: Shizuoka Approval Doesn't Guarantee Early Opening
Source: Watch Impress
Original title:
静岡の工事容認でリニア開業は見えてきたのか? リニアの歴史を振り返る
Author: Hiroo Ogawa
Date: August 26, 2026, 08:20
Original language: Japanese
Web link: https://www.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/topic/2133157.html
Accessed: August 26, 2026

The Chuo Shinkansen maglev line’s origins trace to the 1960s, when JNR began developing superconducting high-speed train concepts. Politically, early support emerged with Tanaka Kakuei’s 1972 Japan Archipelago Remodeling Theory, which advocated maglev as a "Second Tokaido Shinkansen." The name "maglev" was popularized by Kyoya Yoshitani during a 1970 lecture, when he sought a simpler term than "superconducting magnetic levitation train."

Test Lines and Development:
1977: JNR’s first external test line opened in Miyazaki Prefecture (7 km), but its length limited speeds to 400 km/h—insufficient for 500 km/h practical testing. The line also lacked curves, gradients, and tunnels needed for comprehensive safety validation. In 1987, Transport Minister Shinjiro Ishihara’s criticism of its rural setting ("chicken and pig coops") sparked controversy, but Kyoya defended the animals as natural sensors for long-term noise and vibration stress.
1989: After JNR’s 1987 privatization, JR Central inherited the project. Yamanashi was selected over Miyazaki and Hokkaido for its potential to convert the test line into a commercial route.
1996–2013: The Yamanashi test line opened in phases, ultimately reaching 42.8 km. Its double-track design enabled testing of wind pressure effects from passing trains and overtaking maneuvers, confirming intermediate station feasibility. The L0 series set a 603 km/h world record in 2015.

Route, Stations, and Shizuoka’s Opposition:
A 2011 government plan set Tokyo–Nagoya opening for 2027 and Tokyo–Osaka for 2037. The route prioritized direct connections between major cities, with intermediate stations only in populous areas, leading to maglev-only stations in Yamanashi, Nagano, and Gifu.
Shizuoka’s 8.9 km section became a major obstacle. Governor Heita Kawakatsu opposed construction due to risks to the Oigawa River, a vital water source for daily life, industry, and agriculture. His concerns stemmed from past water issues during Tokaido Shinkansen construction. Despite criticism as obstructionist, Kawakatsu’s stance reflected genuine environmental risks.


Construction Delays Beyond Shizuoka:
Gifu: Ground subsidence and well depletion confirmed in Mizuho Town.
Nagano: Tunnel blasting caused slope collapses and landslides; excess soil disposal remains unresolved.
Tokyo: Road uplift observed near Shinagawa Station.
Industry-wide: Labor shortages, soaring material costs, and yen depreciation plague the entire construction sector.


Current Status and Outlook:
Shizuoka’s approval doesn’t guarantee immediate progress. JR Central aims to announce a revised timeline within fiscal 2026, but industry challenges and unresolved issues in other sections make Tokyo–Nagoya opening no earlier than 2036 certain. With at least a decade until opening, the Tokaido Shinkansen will remain Japan’s primary Tokyo–Nagoya–Osaka artery.

Historical Context:
Kawakatsu wasn’t inherently anti-maglev. At a 2014 civil engineering symposium, he proposed partial Tokyo–Yamanashi opening before the 2020 Olympics to showcase maglev to foreign tourists, aligning with government plans to export superconducting technology.