Video Message by Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio at the International High-Speed Rail Association (IHRA) Forum 2022

 
I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations today as you convene the IHRA Forum 2022.
 
The history of rail worldwide evolved rapidly when the Tokaido Shinkansen opened. The Shinkansen has been embraced in Taiwan, India, and the United States.
 
Taiwan High Speed Rail has been the core transport system. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor in India is steadily moving forward and expected to bring changes to Indian society.
 
The safety of Japan’s Shinkansen technology has been recognized in the United States as well.
 
It is my hope that the Shinkansen system will be adopted around the world.
 
This past May, I had the good fortune to board a test run of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen in Yamanashi Prefecture and experience its advanced technology and comfort.
 
I also hope all of you will experience the comfort of the SCMAGLEV, which is now at the stage where it is a viable ultra-speed mass transport system.
 
In the 2016 plan set out by the entity playing the main role in its construction, the Linear Chuo Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka was originally slated to fully open in 2045. However, we disbursed a long-term, fixed-rate low-interest ¥3 trillion loan through the Japanese government’s Fiscal Investment and Loan Program that will enable the launch date to be moved forward by up to eight years.
 
Moreover, we are advancing initiatives to resolve water resource, environmental protection, and other challenges to facilitate the swift development of the Tokyo-Nagoya section. Together with local governments along the line, we are providing the necessary guidance and assistance so that the environmental impact assessment for the Nagoya-Osaka section may begin in 2023.
 
The Linear Chuo Shinkansen is a national level project. It will form the world’s largest metropolitan region comprising Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka.
 
Along with this, we are also leveraging digital technology and other means for a Digital Garden City Nation, establishing a society in which anyone, anywhere nationwide can enjoy convenience and comfort.
 
It is my sincere wish that this international forum be a meaningful opportunity for all of you to share a vision of the future to be carved out together with high-speed rail.