Shinkansen pollution problems are a general term for the noise, vibration, sunlight interference, television reception problems and water issues that occur as a result of the high-speed running of the Shinkansen. In the areas along the Tokaido Shinkansen line, serious damage has been caused from the time of the line's opening. This chapter discusses what kind of damage the Shinkansen pollution problem has caused and how local residents have resisted against it, using the Shinkansen pollution that occurred in Nagoya City as a case study.

Introduction

The Shinkansen (literally “new trunk line”), known in the West as the “bullet train,” is the high-speed rail system now crisscrossing much of Honshu and extended to Kyushu and parts of Hokkaido. Compared to conventional trains, the Shinkansen is much quieter and less bumpy, making it a more comfortable ride. In Japan, the first Shinkansen line was opened between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka in 1964, just in time for the first Tokyo Olympics. A few years later, the following song became popular in kindergartens:

The Shinkansen was a dream vehicle that brought together the best science and technology of the time. However, this was only for the passengers who rode it. People living along the Shinkansen lines suffered from noise and vibration. In this chapter, I will discuss what kind of damage the Shinkansen pollution caused and how people resisted it, using the Shinkansen pollution that occurred in Nagoya as a case study.

Outline of the Nagoya Shinkansen pollution problem

Since the opening of Japan's first bullet train, the areas along the Tokaido Shinkansen line have suffered serious damage, mainly from noise, vibration and loss of daylight problems, as well as TV reception problems. In particular, the area along the so-called “Nagoya 7-kilometer section” (hereafter referred to as the “7km section”), which spans Atsuta-ku, Nakagawa-ku, and Minami-ku in Nagoya City, a densely populated area, is a traditional urban area where people live. The Shinkansen ran through this area at a speed of around 200 km/h on an elevated track without soundproofing walls, and the damage to the residents was enormous.