Nishi-Kyushu-Shinkansen

The Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen is a new high-speed rail project designed to connect Nagasaki City with Fukuoka's Hakata Station.

Once completed, travel time between the two cities will be reduced from about two hours to roughly one hour and twenty minutes, linking Nagasaki directly to Japan's Shinkansen network and major metropolitan areas such as Tokyo and Osaka.

Currently, the sections between Hakata and Shin-Tosu (Saga Prefecture) and between Nagasaki and Takeo-Onsen (Saga Prefecture) are operational.

However, the crucial middle section between Shin-Tosu and Takeo-Onsen remains incomplete due to unresolved issues.

For now, passengers transfer to a limited express train at Takeo-Onsen Station to continue their journey.

Background Timeline

• 1972

  Initial plans proposed a full-specification Shinkansen connecting Fukuoka to Nagasaki via Saga and Sasebo.

• 1987

  JR Kyushu projected deficits even with full public funding, and Nagasaki prefecture proposed a “shortcut route”: conventional tracks between Hakata and Takeo-Onsen, and a new Shinkansen-standard line between Takeo-Onsen and Nagasaki.

• 1992

  The shortcut route proposal was assessed by Saga prefecture, Nagasaki prefecture, and municipalities along the line.

  
  

• 1996

  JR Kyushu announced that it wished to spin off the sections of conventional lines between Hizen-Yamaguchi (Saga-prefecture) and Isahaya (Nagasaki prefecture) .

  In result, disputes arose over management of parallel conventional lines.

• 2004

  The JR Kyushu proposed a compromise to run by itself as the vertical separation system, and Saga prefecture eventually accepted it.

  In additon, Nagasaki prefecture offered to share Saga's financial burden.

※The vertical separation system

Separating the entity to operate from the entity to facility and maintenance.

The former is JR Kyushu, and the latter is each local government.

• 2007

  Saga, Nagasaki, and JR Kyushu agreed on a vertical separation system for the Hizen-Yamaguchi–Isahaya section, with JR Kyushu maintaining service for 20 years. Prefectures promised to pay ¥1.4 billion for asset transfer.

  
  

• 2008

  National government approved construction between Takeo-Onsen and Isahaya.

  
  

• 2011

  The national government officially published plans to introduce a Free Gauge Train system for the Takeo-Onsen–Nagasaki section, in order to accommodate both conventional lines and Shinkansen sections.

  
  

  ※ Free Gauge Train

  　A train capable of adjusting its wheel gauge to accommodate both Shinkansen and conventional lines with differing rail standards.

• 2012

  Construction the section between Takeo-Onsen and Nagasaki approval granted.

  
  

• 2018

  The Free Gauge Train plan was abandoned; the national government proposed full-specification Shinkansen construction, because of various problem, like maintanance cost.

  However, Saga prefecture has opposed this decision of national government because Saga prefecture has agreed on the premise of maintaining the Free Gauge Train. In addition, the prefecture has asserted that it cannot agree the Shinkansen-construction on that section if it will construct as the full-specification Shinkansen.

  
  

• 2022

  Partial service began between Nagasaki and Takeo-Onsen, with conventional lines between Kohoku and Isahaya operating under vertical separation.

Key Issues

1. Legal Assessment

   
   

   The revised full-specification plan has not undergone proper assessment, raising legal concerns.

   
   

2. Conventional Rail Preservation

   
   

   Saga Prefecture fears loss of conventional lines, which serve vital municipal centers such as Kashima. Reduced service could harm local communities and daily life.

   
   

3. Financial Burden

   
   

   Saga Prefecture faces costs exceeding ¥140 billion, despite only a 15-minute time savings compared to existing limited express trains. Officials argue the project may not justify its expense under current plans.

<Station and Track Map>

<Note>

This description is merely a summary compiled by the author. For official information, please check the websites of each local government.