The bullet train line that connects Japan’s main island of Honshu and the northern prefecture of Hokkaido marked the 10th anniversary of its opening on Thursday.
The Hokkaido Shinkansen began operations between Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station and Shin-Aomori Station on March 26, 2016.
The line was expected to boost travel by business and leisure passengers from Honshu. But usage at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station has dropped by around two-thirds over the decade.
A bullet train trip from the end of the line to Tokyo takes about four hours, and many travelers choose to fly instead. The line returns an annual deficit of more than 60 million dollars.
Another major issue is a substantial delay in construction work to extend the service north to Sapporo.
Around 80 percent of the extension consists of tunnels, where construction has run into serious difficulties. The completion date has been pushed back to the end of fiscal 2038 from the originally envisioned 2030.
Project costs are also expected to rise sharply. Due to the construction delays and soaring material prices, total costs are now projected to increase by up to 7.5 billion dollars on top of the original estimate of around 14 billion dollars.
“We take the delay of the opening of the entire route very seriously, and we deeply regret the situation, and we are working on the project with the belief that the Hokkaido Shinkansen will deliver its full benefits only once it reaches Sapporo,” said Fujita Kozo, President of Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency.
He added that his agency will continue to explain the costs and seek understanding from all those involved.
AloJapan.com