Local governments along proposed shinkansen high-speed rail routes in Japan are stepping up efforts to advance plans for lines that have remained in the planning stage for more than half a century, with no progress toward construction.
Hoping to leverage the shinkansen as a catalyst for regional economic revitalization, these local authorities are calling for the ¡°basic plan lines¡± to be upgraded to ¡°development plan lines,¡± a shift that would prompt full-scale action by the central government and bring the projects closer to realization.
Significant hurdles remain, however. In addition to funding issues, questions persist over whether the railway lines can attract sufficient demand and prove profitable enough to justify their enormous construction costs, leaving their prospects uncertain.
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