World’s fastest railway project in Japan delayed over environmental concerns

• 2 July 2020
• Construction Focus
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Construction of the world’s fastest magnetic levitation (Maglev) railway connecting Tokyo to Osaka in Japan has been halted by Shizuoka prefecture due to fears that it will strain groundwater under the tunnel, according to the Global Construction Review.

In a live broadcast meeting, Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture Heita Kawakatsu refused to allow the proposed 9km-long US$84 billion tunnel to be built under Japan’s Southern Alps. He claimed that it would strain groundwater under the tunnel which would normally go into Oi River, which is the local peoples’ source of water.

In April, Japan’s transport ministry formed an expert panel to advise on the concerns of Shizuoka prefecture.

In response, contracted firm JR central had set this month as the deadline to resolve the dispute over the tunnel, construction of which would take around five years to complete​. The firm is concerned that the delay may affect the first section from Tokyo to Nagoya which has been underway since 2014 and is set to be operational in 2027.

Maglev is an electromagnetic train system where the train levitates above the railway using superconducting magnets onboard the train and coils on the ground. This technology allows Maglev trains run at up to 500 km/hr, or be able to carry passengers from Tokyo to Osaka in just an hour.

• Technology and Engineering
• Road and Infrastructure