Yoichi Takahashi (Kaetsu Univ.)
@YoichiTakahashi
That's the job of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Provisions of the River Law.
https://elaws.e-gov.go.jp/document?lawid=339AC0000000167...
Yoichi Takahashi (Kaetsu Univ.)
@YoichiTakahashi
"Get on with building the linear line!"
The suspension of the Shinkansen, the "main artery" of Japan, has made people acutely aware of the importance of alternative means of transportation.
"Governor Kawakatsu should get out of the way."
The Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines were severely affected by Typhoon No. 7, which swept through the Kinki region.
On August 15, the Nagoya-Okayama line was closed for the entire day due to a planned shutdown; on August 16, the line was scheduled to operate as usual, but around 8:30 a.m., operations were suspended between Mishima and Shizuoka due to rain gauges in Fuji City, Shizuoka reaching the regulation limit.
Subsequently, the suspended operation was extended to all sections of the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines.
Although operations resumed between Shin-Osaka and Hakata in the early afternoon of the 16th and between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka after 14:00, it was the second consecutive day of significant disruptions.
The effects of this situation continued into the 17th.
The Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines experienced delays of up to two hours, and some flights were canceled.
The schedule disruption hit the U-turn rush during the Bon Festival.
According to JR Tokai, as of 10 p.m. on August 16, there were more than 185 cancellations and 240 delays on the Tokaido Shinkansen, affecting more than 300,000 people.
Many people on social networking services expressed their grief and screams, such as "The Shinkansen stopped for about an hour on the line... I can't go home..." and "The moment I was happy that I could take the Shinkansen, it was suddenly suspended in Shimonoseki for an indefinite period, and I was put in an infinite hell of confinement inside the train.
Many also commented on the Linear Line.
Every time the Tokaido Shinkansen stops or is delayed due to exceeding rainfall limits in Shizuoka Prefecture, all I can think is, "Get on with building the Linear Shinkansen."
I'd like to know if there has ever been a day like today when I wish we could have avoided the rain if we had a nearly tunneled Linear Shinkansen line.
"The Tokaido Shinkansen alone has a tremendous after-effect when something like typhoon No. 7 or yesterday's heavy rain happens, so the Linear Shinkansen as a sub-line is absolutely necessary.
The Tokaido Shinkansen is known to be more susceptible to rain than other Shinkansen lines. It is because about half of the line is built on embankments. In June 2023, the Tokaido Shinkansen was suspended for 16 hours due to heavy rain caused by a typhoon. In contrast, many sections of the Shinkansen built after the Tokaido Shinkansen are elevated, making them less susceptible to rain. In addition to such vulnerabilities, the Tokaido Shinkansen has been in service for about 60 years and is deteriorating over time. Therefore, the Linear Chuo Shinkansen is needed to replace the role of Japan's primary arterial transportation system," said a reporter for a weekly magazine.
Although the Linear Line between Shinagawa in Tokyo and Nagoya is scheduled to open in 2027, construction has not started on the 9-km Shizuoka section of the 286 km line, and the line's opening is expected to be delayed significantly.
The reason is that Heita Kawakatsu, governor of Shizuoka Prefecture, does not approve the start of construction, citing "water problems" and the placement of soil generated by the construction work.
On social networking sites, people say, "This typhoon and rain are not Shizuoka's fault, but because of a certain governor who is stopping the construction of the linear line, which will be an alternative means of transportation, this abysmal situation will continue."
"My child was trapped in the Shinkansen. I managed to get home yesterday, but I was distraught. Isn't this kind of thing why we need the Linear Line? The Tokaido Shinkansen is different from other Shinkansen lines regarding the number of trains and users. Governor Kawakatsu, don't get in our way. "
And other resentful comments.
Will these voices reach the governor?
