JR Central President Shunsuke Niwa said the start of construction on the Shizuoka section of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen being pushed past next March will not affect the overall schedule for the maglev line, which is planned to link Tokyo and Osaka.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism suspended Taisei and Kajima from public works on Oct. 23 after the two contractors' convictions in a bid-rigging case tied to maglev construction became final. The 120-day suspension runs from Nov. 7, barring the two from bidding on private civil engineering work or taking orders through negotiated contracts.
A joint venture led by Taisei is handling the Shizuoka section. JR Central had been moving toward tunnel excavation after the Shizuoka governor accepted the start of work, but the contract cannot be renewed until March 6, leaving the company unable to begin.
"We do not think the overall construction period will be affected," Niwa told a regular news conference on Oct. 28. He said JR Central wants to resume talks promptly once the suspension ends, and that the suspension period is not significant against the length of the whole project. The company plans to announce an opening date within the year.
Masao Shimao, chairman of the Nagoya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, pressed for that date sooner at his own regular news conference the same day. "We want the overall prospect for opening shown at an early opportunity. It will have a good effect on town-building along the line," he said.
The Shizuoka section has held up the maglev project for years, and the suspension adds a further delay to a timetable already shaped by disputes over water levels and environmental concerns along the route.