A plan to operate magnetically levitated -- or maglev -- trains between Tokyo and Osaka in one hour at speeds of up to 500 kph is moving ahead, with the government starting a feasibility study.
Yoshiyuki Kasai, president of Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai), said, "It is possible for the construction (of the maglev track) to begin four years from now." The fastest bullet train currently covers the same distance in 21/2 hours.
But industry analysts said the major stumbling block for the plan is the huge construction cost, estimated at 8 trillion yen, with a reduction in the bill through further technological developments essential to make the maglev train profitable.