Will the San-in Shinkansen become a reality? On June 5, 55 municipalities in seven prefectures, including Matsue City, held the San'in Jukan/Ultra High-Speed Railway Development Promotion Municipal Council (tentative name) with the aim of developing an ultra-high-speed railway linking Fukui Prefecture to Yamaguchi Prefecture via the San'in area. ) was established in Tokyo. In addition to its convenience, the government is emphasizing the disaster prevention aspect, saying that it will serve as an alternative route in the event of a disaster on the Sanyo side, but there is a strong barrier to cost-effectiveness. (Kishita Beniko)
The three cities of Matsue, Tottori, and Kyotango (Kyoto Prefecture) issued a call for alternative means of transportation this spring, as the Great East Japan Earthquake drew attention to the importance of alternative means of transportation. Participating municipalities are Fukui, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Tottori, Shimane, and Yamaguchi prefectures. Thirteen municipalities from Shimane Prefecture will be added, including Masuda City and Hamada City.
The company's charter states that while Shinkansen development and plans for linear motor cars are progressing in other regions, ``San'in has been left behind.'' The government is asking the government to run Shinkansen or linear trains, saying it will help avoid risks in the event that the high-speed rail network on the Sanyo side is cut off in the event of a disaster.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, in fact, in 1973, the basic plan for the National Shinkansen Railway Development Act designated the San'in Shinkansen (Osaka City - Shimonoseki City), which passes through the vicinity of Matsue City and Tottori City, as a route for which construction should begin. It was included as. However, due to the oil shock that occurred that year, the project was shelved for 40 years due to the country's financial difficulties.
The key to realizing ultra-high-speed railways is whether the effects are worth the enormous maintenance costs. The total construction cost for the Kyushu Shinkansen (Hakata-Kagoshima Chuo), which opened in 2011, was 1.521 trillion yen. The Linear Chuo Shinkansen (Tokyo-Osaka) costs an estimated 9.03 trillion yen.
In fiscal 2012, the Kyushu Shinkansen was used by an average of 24,900 people a day (Hakata-Kumamoto). On the other hand, according to the JR Yonago branch office, about 2,500 people a day use the limited express Yakumo that connects Okayama and Yonago, which connects to the Sanyo Shinkansen, even on days with many long holidays in May.
A member of the ministry's trunk railway division said, ``Of course we also have a disaster countermeasure perspective, but the issue remains that cost effectiveness is the issue.'' Matsue Mayor Masataka Matsuura said, ``I don't know if this will happen in my lifetime, but it won't happen if we don't start now.I want it to lead to the formation of a national axis along the Sea of Japan.''
(June 4, 2013 Yomiuri Shimbun)
