Japan to Reconsider Route of Planned Hokuriku Shinkansen Section

Jiji Press

12:16 JST, December 16, 2025

Tokyo, Dec. 15 (Jiji Press)—Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin no Kai), decided Monday to reconsider the route of the planned Hokuriku Shinkansen section between Tsuruga Station in the central prefecture of Fukui and Shin-Osaka Station in the western prefecture of Osaka.

The decision comes as the existing plan, adopted by the then LDP-Komeito coalition in 2016, which calls for the route to run through the Fukui city of Obama and Kyoto Station in the western prefecture of Kyoto, has faced opposition from some in Kyoto due to environmental and fiscal concerns.

The LDP-JIP ruling bloc decided to examine seven JIP-proposed options for the route, in addition to the existing plan.

Following the decision, the transport ministry is expected to abandon the current plan to start construction on the extended section in fiscal 2026.

It is unusual for ruling parties to reconsider an already decided plan for a Shinkansen bullet train line.

The ruling bloc plans to hold hearings with municipalities along the proposed routes from early next year. It will work to select the best route based partly on a cost-effectiveness analysis to be calculated by the ministry.