Farmers File Suit To Stop Maglev
Construction work for Japan's high-speed maglev train line is facing another hurdle, as farmers have launched a legal battle to block the project.
A total of 107 people, including tea farmers in the central prefecture of Shizuoka, filed a lawsuit with a District Court on Friday. They say that the construction of a tunnel could have a grave impact on their livelihood as it may reduce the flow of river water.
They demand Central Japan Railway stop the work within the prefecture. The region is Japan's biggest tea producer. One farmer, Shibamoto Toshifumi, says the construction would devastate the tea industry and he opposes building tunnels in the mountains.
The railway operator aims to open the maglev route connecting Tokyo and Nagoya in 2027. But the plan hit an obstacle after the Shizuoka prefectural government refused to approve the construction of a tunnel.
