The conflict between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and JR companies over the rental fees for New Shinkansen lines has escalated, with the ministry considering extending the current 30-year payment period and raising the fees. JR Kyushu and JR Hokkaido representatives have urged the ministry to rethink fee adjustments that would not negatively impact their management. While discussions have proceeded without resolution, the ministry plans to finalize its stance by the summer.

Since the inauguration of the Tohoku and Sanyo Shinkansen lines in 1973, the New Shinkansen lines have been developed under government plans that allow the government-backed organization to construct and own the railways while JR companies rent and operate them. The rental fees are calculated based on the anticipated profits over 30 years, with payment installments made monthly. As the Hokuriku Shinkansen line marks its 30th anniversary in 2027, the handling of these fees needs to be reconsidered, according to experts.

The ministry anticipates that aging infrastructure will require significant repairs in the coming years and seeks to secure funding for such work. Some routes have experienced higher-than-expected usage, leading to recommendations that profits from commercial facilities operated by JR companies at Shinkansen stations be factored into the rental fee calculations. However, JR East has particularly opposed this stance, pointing to the 17.5 billion yen annual rental fee it has paid for the Takasaki-Nagano route as the first New Shinkansen line to open, indicating their financial strain if the fees are increased further.