Hiroshima Prefecture and City Award First Phase of Eastern Hiroshima Elevated Rail Project to Shimizu, Fujita, and Kosei Construction
14 November 2025 – Construction & Planning
Hiroshima Prefecture and the city have commissioned Shimizu Construction, Fujita, and Kosei Construction to carry out the elevated superstructure work for the first phase (approximately 2.0 km) of the Hiroshima City Eastern Continuous Grade Separation Project, a 5.1 km long initiative. The eastern section, including Mukoyō Station, has been divided into three construction zones for contracting. Construction is scheduled to begin around spring 2026. Contractors for the western section of the station are yet to be determined. The temporary track switch is expected to be completed in the early hours of 8 December.
The project will elevate portions of the Sanyō Main Line and Kure Line, passing through Fuchu Town, Minami Ward, Aki Ward of Hiroshima City, and Kaita Town. Hiroshima Prefecture, the city, and JR West signed a construction agreement in June 2020, under which JR West began work on the first-phase section around Mukoyō Station.
The total elevated section includes about 3.9 km of the Sanyō Main Line (Kaita Town Narimoto – Fuchu Town Kakogō 1) and about 1.2 km of the Kure Line (Kaita Town Minami Taishō – Shinmachi). The project will remove 12 level crossings on the Sanyō Main Line and 4 on the Kure Line. The first phase elevates Mukoyō Station, while the second phase will elevate Kaitaichi Station.
Contract assignments for the first phase eastern section are as follows:
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East Section 1 (Matobagawa West Crossing – Hatamiya Crossing): Shimizu Construction
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East Section 2 (Hatamiya Crossing – Aozaki No.6 Crossing): Fujita
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Station Section (Aozaki No.6 – Aozaki No.10 Crossing): Kosei Construction
Construction of the elevated superstructure will start from the down tracks of the Sanyō Main Line, Kure Line, and freight lines. Once switched to the elevated tracks, the original down tracks will be removed and the up tracks elevated.
The final temporary track switch will suspend trains from 7 December, 21:10, until the end of service, and will be completed before the first train on 8 December.
Temporary track civil works are handled by Kosei Construction and Shimizu Construction. The temporary station at Mukoyō is built by Kosei Construction; track works by Kosei Construction; electrical works by West Japan Electric Systems.
The estimated cost for the first-phase section has risen from the initially projected ¥44.7 billion to approximately ¥70 billion, due to material and labor cost increases. Completion is expected around FY2033, three years later than originally planned.
