Prospects look good for a ruling coalition proposal to begin constructing three shinkansen lines in fiscal 2005.
But in two cases, the candidate terminal prefectures -- Hokkaido and Aomori, and Saga and Nagasaki -- disagree with how the plans will be carried out.
The working group, consisting of government officials and lawmakers from the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, New Komeito, are expected to finalize the construction plans by the end of the year, in time for inclusion in next year's budget, official sources said.