Tokyo, May 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s two ruling parties are set to speed up talks on selecting a detailed route for the planned extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train line. The Liberal Democratic Party and its partner, the Japan Innovation Party, are hoping to pick one from the eight candidate routes under review within the current session of the Diet, the country’s parliament, and launch construction in fiscal 2027, which starts next April. The Hokuriku Shinkansen Line is set to be extended from Tsuruga Station in the city of Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, one of the current two terminals of the line, to Shin-Osaka Station in the city of Osaka, the capital of the namesake prefecture in western Japan. The LDP aims to conclude the talks with the selection of the original candidate route, which would link the two stations via the Fukui city of Obama and Kyoto Station in the city of Kyoto, the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, which is located between Fukui and Osaka prefectures. With the JIP remaining opposed to the so-called Obama-Kyoto route, the governing parties may face difficulties reaching a conclusion by the July 17 end of the Diet session. It also remains unclear whether the prefectural and municipal governments of Kyoto, which have been reluctant to accept the Obama-Kyoto route, will change their minds. The Obama-Kyoto option was chosen in 2016 by the LDP and its coalition partner at the time, Komeito, and the two parties had planned to decide details of the route in 2024. The decision has been put off, however, since Kyoto Prefecture and the city of Kyoto expressed concerns over the size of related construction costs and possible environmental impacts. The JIP, which replaced Komeito as the LDP’s coalition partner in October 2025, has proposed that seven other routes be considered as candidates in addition to the Obama-Kyoto route. The LDP accepted the proposal. Among the JIP-proposed candidates are two options that would extend from Tsuruga to Maibara Station in Shiga Prefecture, bordered by Fukui Prefecture on the north and Kyoto Prefecture on the west, providing a connection to the Tokaido Shinkansen Line, which leads to Shin-Osaka. In March and later, the coalition parties asked Fukui and Shiga prefectures and West Japan Railway Co., or JR West, about the eight candidate routes. The prefectures and JR West reiterated their support for the Obama-Kyoto route, citing customer convenience and the high possibility that it could be opened relatively earlier. JR West especially argued that it is extremely difficult to adopt one of the two Maibara routes that would allow Hokuriku Shinkansen trains to offer through services onto the Tokaido Shinkansen Line to Shin-Osaka without requiring passengers to change trains at Maibara, due to the congestion on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line and the differences between the two lines’ train operation systems. The LDP apparently does not intend to compromise on its push for the Obama-Kyoto route as the party boosted its presence within the coalition following its stunning victory in the Feb. 8 general election for the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet. An LDP member of a related ruling bloc task force said, “All in all, it’s clear that the Obama-Kyoto route is the only viable option.” Still, senior JIP member Seiji Maehara, former transport minister, said, “Our party clearly opposes the Obama-Kyoto route.” In addition, even if the LDP and the JIP formally select the Obama-Kyoto route, it is uncertain whether they can obtain consent from the Kyoto prefectural and city governments that would be needed for the start of construction. With the ruling bloc planning to hear opinions of Kyoto Governor Takatoshi Nishiwaki and Kyoto Mayor Koji Matsui, attention is being paid to whether progress will be made in the situation. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] 

Tokyo, May 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s two ruling parties are set to speed up talks on selecting a detailed route for the planned extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train line. The Liberal Democratic Party and its partner, the Japan Innovation Party, are hoping to pick one from the eight candidate routes under review within the current session of the Diet, the country’s parliament, and launch construction in fiscal 2027, which starts next April. The Hokuriku Shinkansen Line is set to be extended from Tsuruga Station in the city of Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, one of the current two terminals of the line, to Shin-Osaka Station in the city of Osaka, the capital of the namesake prefecture in western Japan. The LDP aims to conclude the talks with the selection of the original candidate route, which would link the two stations via the Fukui city of Obama and Kyoto Station in the city of Kyoto, the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, which is located between Fukui and Osaka prefectures. With the JIP remaining opposed to the so-called Obama-Kyoto route, the governing parties may face difficulties reaching a conclusion by the July 17 end of the Diet session. It also remains unclear whether the prefectural and municipal governments of Kyoto, which have been reluctant to accept the Obama-Kyoto route, will change their minds. The Obama-Kyoto option was chosen in 2016 by the LDP and its coalition partner at the time, Komeito, and the two parties had planned to decide details of the route in 2024. The decision has been put off, however, since Kyoto Prefecture and the city of Kyoto expressed concerns over the size of related construction costs and possible environmental impacts. The JIP, which replaced Komeito as the LDP’s coalition partner in October 2025, has proposed that seven other routes be considered as candidates in addition to the Obama-Kyoto route. The LDP accepted the proposal. Among the JIP-proposed candidates are two options that would extend from Tsuruga to Maibara Station in Shiga Prefecture, bordered by Fukui Prefecture on the north and Kyoto Prefecture on the west, providing a connection to the Tokaido Shinkansen Line, which leads to Shin-Osaka. In March and later, the coalition parties asked Fukui and Shiga prefectures and West Japan Railway Co., or JR West, about the eight candidate routes. The prefectures and JR West reiterated their support for the Obama-Kyoto route, citing customer convenience and the high possibility that it could be opened relatively earlier. JR West especially argued that it is extremely difficult to adopt one of the two Maibara routes that would allow Hokuriku Shinkansen trains to offer through services onto the Tokaido Shinkansen Line to Shin-Osaka without requiring passengers to change trains at Maibara, due to the congestion on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line and the differences between the two lines’ train operation systems. The LDP apparently does not intend to compromise on its push for the Obama-Kyoto route as the party boosted its presence within the coalition following its stunning victory in the Feb. 8 general election for the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet. An LDP member of a related ruling bloc task force said, “All in all, it’s clear that the Obama-Kyoto route is the only viable option.” Still, senior JIP member Seiji Maehara, former transport minister, said, “Our party clearly opposes the Obama-Kyoto route.” In addition, even if the LDP and the JIP formally select the Obama-Kyoto route, it is uncertain whether they can obtain consent from the Kyoto prefectural and city governments that would be needed for the start of construction. With the ruling bloc planning to hear opinions of Kyoto Governor Takatoshi Nishiwaki and Kyoto Mayor Koji Matsui, attention is being paid to whether progress will be made in the situation. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]