Why Is Japan Eyeing China's Bus-Tram Hybrid For Mount Fuji Tourists?

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Japan has abandoned its original plan to construct a light railway on Mount Fuji and is now considering a Chinese-developed hybrid transport system.

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Mount Fuji Train

The proposed Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) is a unique vehicle resembling a tram but operating on rubber tyres like a bus.

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Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART)

Yamanashi governor Kotaro Nagasaki hopes Japanese firms will ultimately develop the transport solution, preferably with a local production base.

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Local Production Base

Mount Fuji's visitor numbers have dramatically increased, prompting authorities to implement crowd control measures, including a 2,000 yen entry fee.

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Big Visitor Numbers

The previous light rail project was estimated to cost 140 billion yen and faced technical challenges related to operating in cold mountain conditions.

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Cost Of Construction

The proposed tram would connect a regional station to the volcano and is anticipated to be operational by 2034 or later, pending a feasibility study.

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Its Feasibility Study

Local citizen groups have raised concerns about potential environmental damage from infrastructure development on the mountain.

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Environmental Concerns

Japan aims to welcome 60 million international tourists annually by 2030, nearly doubling its pre-pandemic visitor numbers.

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60 Million Tourists

What are your thoughts on this?

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