Japanese lawmakers have proposed the development of a train that floats inches above the tracks as a way to improve the country's economy.
The train would use magnetic levitation (maglev) to float, escorting passengers from Tokyo to Osaka in under half the time it currently takes to travel between the two cities, according to Quartz. It would be built by Central Japan Railway Co., also known as JR Central.
The train costs $90 million to build, and would be one of the most expensive railway lines in history. The initial phase of the line would be finished in 2027, and construction would be completed in 2045.
If built, the train would be the first to use maglev to move, The Wall Street Journal reported. The cars would be lifted several inches off a concrete track and would travel at about 310 miles per hour.
Critics of the project claim it to be one of Japan's latest infrastructure projects aimed at improving its economy after years of deflation. The country's population is expected to decrease from 127 million today to less than 100 million by the middle of the century, and critics say there won't be enough people to fill the seats in the train. Environmentalists are also concerned about the amount of rock and dirt that would be excavated for the line, which would run through tunnels about 90 percent of the time.
JR Central expects 88 million people to ride the train each year, and that 72 million of them will come over from the current line Tokyo-Osaka line. The line carries 143 million passengers each year.
Residents in Tokyo and Osaka over 15 years old spend five hours a week on average commuting to school or work, Quartz reported. Because of its speed, the train would save an hour of commute time for those traveling between the two cities.
Central Japan Railway is looking to finance the floating train itself and use cash from the Tokyo-Osaka Shinkansen, the busiest high-speed railway in the world, The Wall Street Journal reported. The company plans to build the line in two phases, with the first from Tokyo to Nagoya to be finished in 2027 and the second from Nagoya to Osaka to be finished in 2045.
