Japan Defers Decision on Planned Hokuriku Shinkansen Route

Tokyo, Dec. 20 (Jiji Press)--A panel of Japan's ruling bloc decided Friday to postpone a decision on the detailed route of the planned section of the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train line that would connect Tsuruga and Shin-Osaka stations.

The panel had sought to reach the decision by year-end but gave up the idea in consideration for concerns among Kyoto Prefecture, western Japan, and other municipalities about the expected major financial burden and the environmental impact of the construction.

The postponement will make it difficult to begin the construction by the end of fiscal 2024 next March as the ruling bloc hopes.

The transport ministry also aborted a plan to include related construction costs in the upcoming fiscal 2025 budget.

The section would connect the city of Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, and the western city of Osaka, where Shin-Osaka Station sits, via the Fukui city of Obama and the western city of Kyoto.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]