TOKYO: Japan’s maglev train project advanced Tuesday after Shizuoka Governor Yasutomo Suzuki approved construction of the Chuo Shinkansen section in the prefecture.
The approval effectively ended a nearly nine-year deadlock that had delayed the high-speed magnetic levitation line. Suzuki announced the decision during a session of the Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly.
The move reversed the stance of former Governor Heita Kawakatsu. He had opposed tunnelling over concerns about the Oi River water basin and the Southern Japanese Alps ecosystem.
The prefectural government will sign a natural environment conservation agreement with Central Japan Railway Co., or JR Tokai, on July 18, 2026.
The agreement is a prerequisite for construction and requires water-level monitoring and environmental protection measures. The disputed Shizuoka section runs 8.9 kilometres through mountainous terrain in Shizuoka city.
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The full Chuo Shinkansen route spans about 286 kilometres between Shinagawa Station in Tokyo and Nagoya Station in Aichi Prefecture.
The superconducting maglev line is designed for speeds of up to 500 kilometres per hour.
The Tokyo-Nagoya journey would take about 40 minutes, compared with roughly 90 minutes on current services.
JR Tokai’s original 2027 opening target has been abandoned. This is because the Shizuoka tunnel is expected to take at least 10 years to complete. The Tokyo-Nagoya section is now projected to open no earlier than 2036.
