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Please Support the Petition to Reconsider the Hokuriku Shinkansen Extension Plan

The Japanese government and ruling parties are currently pushing forward with the proposed extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen via the “Obama–Kyoto Route.”

However, this plan entails constructing a massive tunnel through the Tamba mountain range (including the Tamba Highland Quasi-National Park) and a deep underground tunnel beneath the Kyoto city area.

This route raises serious environmental and cultural concerns. In the northern Kyoto mountains, rivers and wells may dry up. In the city center, the project could cause groundwater levels to fall, underground water veins to be severed, and even trigger land subsidence or sinkholes. Additionally, approximately 20 million cubic meters of tunnel excavation soil, which may contain arsenic, poses a significant risk of contaminating rivers and groundwater.

With nearly 80% of the Obama–Kyoto route consisting of tunnels, this plan threatens to devastate Kyoto — a city whose rich culinary culture is nourished by abundant groundwater, and which is home to countless national treasures and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In short, it is a plan that could make Kyoto cease to be Kyoto.

The expected lifespan of the tunnel infrastructure is only several decades.

And yet, this short-term construction could undermine Kyoto’s 1,200 years of history—and its future.

As the Kyoto Buddhist Association, we cannot in good conscience overlook such a devastating plan.

The project is also fundamentally incompatible with the Buddhist teachings that emphasize harmony and respect toward nature—not its domination.

We therefore regard this as a “foolish act of the millennium” and demand that the extension plan be completely withdrawn.

February 2025

Raitei Arima, Chairperson
Kyoto Buddhist Association

Once the signatures have been collected, they will be submitted by the Kyoto Buddhist Association to the Prime Minister of Japan. We sincerely ask for your support in protecting Kyoto’s natural environment and cultural heritage.

We sincerely ask for your support in protecting Kyoto’s natural environment and cultural heritage.

Important Note: After signing, you may see a prompt on Change.org asking for donations.

Please note that these contributions do not go toward this campaign.You can complete your signature without making a donation—it will still count as long as your email address is verified.

For details and updates, please visit the official website of the Kyoto Buddhist Association.