The "International Highway Project," a high-speed transportation network connecting Tokyo and London, was proposed at the 10th International Conference on the Unity of Sciences (ICUS) held in Seoul, South Korea, in November 1981.
This concept, originally a transcontinental railway project dating back to the days of the former Japanese National Railways (Ministry of Railways), represents a massive, borderless project, spanning the 20th and 21st centuries and representing the largest project in human history. Over
the past decade, valuable data has been accumulated through surveys and research.
Japan has completed major projects such as the Seikan Tunnel and the Seto Ohashi Bridge, but this wisdom should not be used solely for the benefit of the Japanese people, but rather for the welfare of all humanity. Today, with the end of the Cold War and a shift from war to peace, humanity has entered an era of globalization, and "international contribution" has become a fundamental principle of Japanese national policy. Turning our gaze to the world, European integration has taken place, and the Dover Channel Tunnel, connecting the UK and France, has been completed (opened in 1994). Now is the time for Japan to make the human dream of "departing from Tokyo and going to London" come true.
First, looking at the effects of the development and the aims of the project, the following are some specific things that can be considered:
By establishing an international order based on the lofty value of love for humanity, we can avoid enormous economic waste and loss of resources.
This will facilitate the exchange of people, goods, and culture (through high-speed transportation systems and communication networks using fiber optic cables, for example), promote the standardization of technology and industry, and contribute to the balanced development of Asia.
This enables the effective use of energy (electricity, etc.) and resources (natural gas, water, etc.).
This will be a major stepping stone to the formation of an East Asian community (Japan, South Korea, China, and Taiwan have a combined population of 1.4 billion).
The East Asian region has diverse and abundant human and material resources, and by improving transportation, it can create a powerful economic zone. In this case, Japan, South Korea, and northeastern China will play a central role as industrial nations.
It will help revitalize the global economy.
By further improving the technical know-how accumulated through projects such as the Seikan Tunnel, the Honshu-Shikoku Bridge, and the Tokyo Bay Crossing Highway, we will be able to contribute to large-scale projects around the world.
As an example, by connecting not only the Japan-Korea Tunnel but also the Soya Strait and Mamiya Strait with undersea tunnels, it will be possible to realize a transportation network around the Sea of Japan.
The construction of the Japan-Korea Tunnel will create long-term employment and demand for materials, bringing enormous economic benefits to the related regions and helping to stabilize the economy and resolve economic friction.
Japan is currently working on a second national axis concept as part of its new comprehensive plan. The intersection of the existing first national axis (Tokaido and Sanyo roads) and the second national axis (Tokyo, Ise Bay, Kii Peninsula, Kitan Strait, Shikoku, Hoyo Strait, Kumamoto (Nagasaki)) will be in northern Kyushu, and linking this with the Korean Peninsula will create a link with the continent. Many projects are planned for the Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu regions, and by linking this east-west domestic axis with the continent, it will intersect with the north-south international axis
*From the Tosu Junction "Saga Prefectural Government Office" website
An analysis of transportation trends within Japan reveals that truck transport accounts for the majority of goods transport. While air transport handles urgent and high-value long-distance goods and sea transport handles bulk cargo, trucks are likely to be the primary mode of transport for processed trade goods in the new era of horizontal division of labor between Japan and Korea. Regarding people transport
, air transport predominates over long distances, while rail transport predominates for distances between 500 and 700 km, and automobiles dominate within 500 km.
Tosu Interchange Kyushu's most important land transportation , the 500-km radius ( centered on Tsushima in the figure ) covers almost all of Korea and western Japan. The traffic demand for the Japan-Korea Tunnel, which will run through the center of this circle, will likely consist of rail and container (or truck) transport of goods and high-speed rail (or automobile) transport of people. Furthermore, within the 500-km radius, there are likely to be large-scale projects that interact with the Japan-Korea Tunnel.
Future considerations of international highway routes within Japan should take into account linkage with existing transportation systems and new land uses that are suited to lifestyles in the next century (construction has already begun on the Second Tomei and Meishin Expressways). Here, when formulating a development plan for the Japan-Korea Tunnel-related areas, the basic policy must be to clarify the roles and functions of each region, and to consider ways to increase international synergies while linking them to existing development plans.
Projects aim to have a direct or indirect impact domestically or internationally. As a domestic issue, the Kyushu-Tsushima Strait Tunnel (bridge) project is considered one concrete measure to promote cultural and economic revitalization in Kyushu and other regions along the Sea of Japan. In particular, it aims to significantly contribute to resolving issues surrounding other remote islands, including northern Kyushu, Iki, and Tsushima. Weather conditions can make remote islands difficult to access, creating significant uncertainty in daily life in a broad sense, similar to the factors behind the Seikan Tunnel project. The only way
to resolve this issue is to secure a complete access route, which can be achieved through the construction of a bridge or undersea or underwater tunnel. As an international issue, the Tsushima-Korea Strait Tunnel project envisions creating a cultural, political, and economic entity through mutual solidarity between the continent, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan, based on their respective characteristics. This will stimulate economic activity, improve living conditions in a broad sense, and contribute to building lasting peace in the East Asian region. The
construction project itself is both a domestic and bilateral issue. Regarding undeveloped construction technologies, technology transfer will be promoted, and in some cases joint ventures may be considered. As the Kyushu Tsushima Strait Tunnel (bridge) project is a domestic issue for Japan, we believe that it should be carried out gradually with a wide range of participants, with a promotion group formed and with national consensus. The objective goal is to link not only the mainland and outlying islands, but also Japan and the continent, and to build a community of shared values, such as freedom, human dignity, and the mutual protection of the rights of each nation-state.
