[JP] JR Central Launches Full-Scale Maglev Tunnel Excavation in Aichi’s Kasugai City

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JR Central held a launch ceremony on June 2 for a tunnel boring machine (TBM) at the Sakashita Emergency Exit construction site in Kasugai City, Aichi Prefecture. This marks the start of full-scale excavation on the Chuo Shinkansen maglev line's "Sakashita West Section" tunnel, heading southwest toward Nagoya Station. It is the first full-scale TBM excavation in the Chukyo region.

JR Central President Shunsuke Niwa attended the ceremony and emphasized a commitment to “construction safety, environmental protection, and coordination with local communities.” Aichi Governor Hideaki Ōmura highlighted the project as a "driving force for Japan’s growth" and stated plans to enhance the convenience of Nagoya Station as a “super terminal.”

The tunnel section connects the Sakashita and Kachigawa emergency exits, covering approximately 10.1 kilometers. A preliminary 244-meter excavation survey was conducted between April and October 2024. The full construction is scheduled for completion by March 2029, a delay from the original March 2026 target due to extended time required to cut through concrete walls.

Info based on https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOFD ... 0C2000000/ Accessed 2025-06-02

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坂下西工区（愛知県春日井市）のトンネル内。
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2025-06-05_Kasugai

ecc35bc5-fd1d-4b41-af90-68a1a01fba4a[1].jpg (385.29 KiB) Viewed 79 times

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Inside the Sakashita West construction area (Kasugai City, Aichi Prefecture) tunnel. Shield tunneling work has begun.

Photo source: https://newswitch.jp/image/45917 Accessed 2025-06-05