However, JR Group railways will pay fees of Yen 1 trillion towards the cost for the use of tracks and other facilities on existing Shinkansen lines.
These are the first new high-speed lines to be approved in four years. Hata said he was confident the public will approve of the decision, even though the government is considering increasing the sales tax to help pay for the work, because the projects will move ahead in "an efficient and effective manner." Hata described the Shinkansen as being "key to a sustainable and vibrant nation."
On Hokkaido, a 211km extension north from Hakodate to Sapporo will be completed in 2035. The Shinkansen is currently being extended from Shin-Aomori to Hadodate using the Seikan tunnel, and this is due to be completed in 2015. A 5-hour journey time is envisaged between Tokyo and Sapporo.
On Honshu, the Nagano – Kanazawa extension, which is currently under construction and is due to open in 2014, will be extended 113km further west to Tsuruga by 2025. Tsuruga will then be 3h 8min from Tokyo.
Finally, a 21km isolated section of Shinkansen is to be constructed on Kyushu from Isahaya to Nagasaki. This is due to open in 2022.
