Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, have decided to reconsider the route of the planned Hokuriku Shinkansen section from Tsuruga Station to Shin-Osaka Station. The existing plan, adopted in 2016, has faced opposition in Kyoto due to environmental and fiscal concerns. The bloc will examine seven options proposed by the Japan Innovation Party alongside the current plan.
On December 15 in Tokyo, Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), also known as Nippon Ishin no Kai, decided to reconsider the route for the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension between Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture and Shin-Osaka Station in Osaka Prefecture. The existing plan, adopted by the LDP-Komeito coalition in 2016, routes the line through Obama city in Fukui and Kyoto Station in Kyoto Prefecture, but it has encountered opposition from some in Kyoto over environmental and fiscal concerns.
The LDP-JIP bloc agreed to review seven route options proposed by the JIP, in addition to the current plan. As a result, the transport ministry is expected to scrap its plan to begin construction in fiscal 2026. Reconsidering an established Shinkansen route is unusual for ruling parties. Starting early next year, the bloc intends to hold hearings with municipalities along the proposed routes and select the optimal one based in part on a cost-effectiveness analysis by the ministry.
This move highlights efforts to address local objections in major infrastructure projects, potentially delaying the timeline for this key bullet train extension.
