Japan's Chuo Shinkansen Faces Major Turning Point as Shizuoka Prefecture Approves Construction

(Central News Agency, Tokyo, July 7, Comprehensive Foreign News) Japan's former governor of Shizuoka Prefecture, citing environmental concerns, had refused to approve the construction of the Chuo Shinkansen maglev train line's section within Shizuoka Prefecture. However, the current governor of Shizuoka Prefecture announced today that he will approve the construction, marking a significant turning point after a nine-year halt in this section's development.

The Chuo Shinkansen is not yet completed and has a maximum speed of approximately 500 kilometers per hour. If opened, the travel time between Tokyo's Shinagawa Station and Nagoya Station would be a minimum of 40 minutes, and between Shinagawa Station and Osaka Station, a minimum of just over one hour.

Kyodo News reported that construction in the Shizuoka section may begin this year and could take over 10 years to complete. This also means that the Shinagawa Station to Nagoya Station section will not open until after 2036.

The Shizuoka section of the construction is approximately 8.9 kilometers long and will traverse the northern part of Aoi Ward in Shizuoka City, through which the Oi River flows.

According to reports from NHK and Kyodo News, former Shizuoka Governor Heita Kawakatsu stated in 2017 that he opposed the construction of the Chuo Shinkansen's Shizuoka section due to concerns that the project would reduce the flow of the Oi River and impact the natural environment. This led to the suspension of construction in this section, causing JR Central to abandon its goal of opening the Chuo Shinkansen in 2027.

However, the current governor of Shizuoka Prefecture, Yasutomo Suzuki, announced today at the prefectural assembly that he will agree to JR Central's construction of the Chuo Shinkansen's Shizuoka section, provided that JR Central thoroughly explains the project to residents and signs a "Natural Environment Conservation Agreement" with the prefectural government.

Suzuki stated, "This is my judgment. Based on the Shizuoka Prefecture Natural Environment Conservation Ordinance, we will conclude a natural environment conservation agreement related to the Chuo Shinkansen construction with JR Central." He also announced that a "Natural Environment Conservation Agreement" will be signed with JR Central on the 18th of this month, implying that construction in the section within the prefecture will be approved.

JR Central had previously responded to Shizuoka Prefecture's request by proposing measures to address water resource-related issues, which were approved by a special committee of the Shizuoka Prefectural Government in March of this year. The only remaining procedural step for commencement of construction is for the prefectural government and JR Central to sign the "Natural Environment Conservation Agreement." (Compiled by Yang Weijing) 1150707

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