The transport ministry has presented a proposal over the construction of a maglev Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Nagoya as part of efforts to break the impasse in talks between Shizuoka Prefecture and Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai).
The proposal presented by the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry on Thursday says JR Tokai should proceed with preparatory work ahead of tunneling in the prefecture to the extent that the environmental impact of the preparatory work is deemed to be minor.
The government hopes to resolve the deadlock in talks and pave the way for starting the operation of the maglev line in 2027.
The proposal calls on Shizuoka to proceed with the necessary procedures at an early time within this month, saying that the preparatory work, including the construction of a work area, could have little impact on water resources.
It also requested that JR Tokai not start excavation work on the tunnel itself until after procedures such as a government expert panel discussing the environmental impact of the project.
While JR Tokai has indicated that it wants to proceed with the preparatory work for the construction of the tunnel, the prefecture has not approved the construction over concern about its impact on water resources.
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