THE JAPAN NEWS


 

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The ruling bloc has decided to adopt a plan to extend the Hokuriku Shinkansen line via Obama, Fukui Prefecture, and Kyoto, informed sources said Wednesday.

A subgroup of the project team of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its Komeito ally will draw up an interim report proposing the extension route on Dec. 17, and the project team will adopt it by year-end, the sources said.

The LDP-Komeito team considered three candidate routes for the newest bullet train line’s extension from Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, to Osaka. The three routes were via Obama and Kyoto via Obama and Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, and via Maibara, Shiga Prefecture.

The Obama-Kyoto route is backed by West Japan Railway Co., or JR West, the main operator of trains on the extended Hokuriku Shinkansen section, as well as Toyama, Ishikawa and Fukui prefectures in the Hokuriku region.

In estimates it announced last month, the transport ministry said the newly selected route is the fastest for trips between Tsuruga and Osaka and also worthy of investment.

Although Kyoto and Shiga recommended the Maizuru and Maibara routes, respectively, they failed to win broad support.