Japan's central prefecture of Shizuoka said Friday it has rejected Central Japan Railway Co.'s plan to begin preparatory construction work for a high-speed maglev train line between Tokyo and Nagoya.

The prefecture has sent a letter to the company, also known as JR Central, stating that it would not approve the construction work, Vice Gov. Takashi Namba said at a press conference, while there has been strong local opposition to the plan due to worries over environmental damage.

The letter regarding the Linear Chuo Shinkansen, which JR Central also said it had received, came after the president of the train operator, Shin Kaneko, held talks with Shizuoka Gov. Heita Kawakatsu one week ago.

During the talks Kaneko sought to obtain approval from the governor to launch the work but failed to receive a clear answer. Kawakatsu told the press after the meeting that the plan cannot be approved, citing concerns over environmental protection.

The objection to the plan will make it even harder for the train operator to realize its goal of opening the train line in 2027.

The new system, which will have a top speed of 500 kilometers per hour, will connect the two major cities located 286 kilometers apart in 40 minutes, less than half the travel time for existing shinkansen train services.

JR Central had wanted to start preparatory construction work for a section of the line in the prefecture, but some locals have claimed that the planned route runs the risk of disrupting groundwater and damaging the natural environment in Japan's Southern Alps.

==Kyodo

© Kyodo News International, Inc., source Newswire