Construction of a new maglev line connecting Tokyo and Nagoya has come to a standstill, with Shizuoka Prefecture refusing to give the green light to the full-scale drilling of a tunnel under the Oi River, claiming the project could decrease the amount of water for residents living along the river.
Even with help from the land ministry to try to smooth things out, a solution still looks far off, which could delay the scheduled start of operations for the Chuo Shinkansen line connecting Tokyo's Shinagawa Station and Nagoya Station by 2027.
Authorities involved in the project have criticized Shizuoka Gov. Heita Kawakatsu, who has been at the center of the spat. Aichi Gov. Hideaki Omura has been engaging in an all-out attack on Kawakatsu, while Mie Gov. Eikei Suzuki is calling on Kawakatsu to respond in a "sincere manner."