Construction of Sagamihara maglev station underway

The Central Japan Railway Company, or JR Tokai, is building the facility 30 meters below ground at its deepest point. The site was opened to reporters on Monday for the first time.

The magnetic levitation line is designed to run at a maximum speed of 500 kilometers per hour and to complete the journey from the rail hub of Shinagawa in Tokyo to Nagoya in 40 minutes.

Railway officials say workers have dug 17 meters below the surface at the site, and that measures to prevent the soil from giving way are in place.

Digging is scheduled to finish in March next year, when construction of the station itself will start.

JR Tokai official Yoshikawa Taro said the work has progressed smoothly with cooperation from the local community.

He said the railway operator will ensure that the construction is safe and the environment protected.

JR Tokai initially targeted 2027 as the starting date for the line, but now says that schedule is unlikely to be met.

Shizuoka Prefecture, which lies between Nagoya and Shinagawa, has refused to approve preparations for building a tunnel needed for the line, citing the possible impact on water resources.