JR Tokai, Local Govts Bracing For Tough Talks Over Maglev Route

TOKYO (Nikkei)--With cost estimates for the proposed maglev train line between Tokyo and Nagoya have been released, Central Japan Railway Co. will now begin selecting the route and stations, a process that is likely to elicit impassioned pleas from localities that want a maglev line station.

A much desired route.

Central Japan Railway, or JR Tokai, presented the figures for three possible routes to a Liberal Democratic Party selection committee Thursday.

The cheapest option would be the most direct route passing through the Japanese Southern Alps, with the cost estimated at 5.1 trillion yen. This line would be 286km long and have a travel time of 40 minutes.

A route running through the city of Suwa would be the costliest, at 5.74 trillion yen. The Nagano prefectural government is pushing for this option, which would be about 60km longer than the direct route, but JR Tokai said buying up residential land for the line will likely be difficult. The travel time between Tokyo and Nagoya would be seven minutes longer than with the direct route.

The third route would cut through Kiso Valley and cost an estimated 5.63 trillion yen. It would be 334km long and have a travel time of 46 minutes.

JR Tokai plans to release additional estimates for maintenance costs and passenger demand for each of the routes, possibly by the end of the month.

(The Nikkei June 19 morning edition)