NAGOYA ¨C Central Japan Railway President Shunsuke Niwa has stressed that the company will continue promoting the construction of the Chuo Shinkansen, the high-speed magnetic levitation train line that has faced cost increases and an unclear timeline for completion.

Niwa said the firm will ¡°steadily work¡± on the project, speaking during a recent interview in Nagoya, where the company is headquartered.

The maglev line is initially set to connect Shinagawa Station in Tokyo and Nagoya Station, with a later extension also reaching Osaka.

Partly reflecting recent inflation, the construction cost for the Shinagawa-Nagoya section is now seen ballooning to ?11 trillion.

While the timing of the line¡¯s opening has become unclear, Niwa said that the railway operator, known as JR Central, plans to step up promotion, including highlighting the significance of Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka being connected more closely.

Niwa apologized over the issue of the water level in a well in the city of Mizunami, Gifu Prefecture, falling due to tunnel construction for the line. ¡°We are sorry for causing concern and inconvenience to local people,¡± he said, adding that the company has finished digging an alternative well and is preparing for the start of its use by the end of this month.

He refrained from speculating on the prospects of a section in Shizuoka Prefecture for which construction has yet to start due to controversy over environmental impacts. ¡°We will continue dialogue and try to start construction as soon as possible,¡± he said.

Niwa said tunnel construction beneath Nagoya will fully start in mid-January.

The president also said that private compartments will be introduced on Oct. 1 on some train cars for JR Central¡¯s existing Tokaido Shinkansen line, which connects Tokyo and Osaka.

JR Central, which has made adjustments regarding shinkansen operations, such as an increase in the number of Nozomi trains, is now keen to ¡°provide services that meet diverse passenger needs,¡± Niwa said.