A plan to build a new undersea tunnel running parallel to the Seikan Tunnel linking Hokkaido and Japan’s main island of Honshu has been met with mixed views.
The Hokkaido Shinkansen is scheduled to be extended to Sapporo by the end of fiscal 2030, and local municipalities are becoming increasingly active on the new tunnel plan.
Those promoting the plan have pinned their hopes on the second tunnel, which would shorten the ride while helping revitalize the local economy by creating a tunnel for car traffic. However, the central government and the Aomori Prefectural Government remain cautious about the plan, which would cost over ¥1 trillion.