Keeping things centralized and handy is a worthy goal, just as is keeping the existing population from sprawling out into farmland. But they want to cram a whole lot more people into current urban areas such that there will no promised reduction in congestion. More people equals more cars, ergo more noise, more accidents, more smog, ie., a reduced quality of living.

But what really gets to me is the highway lobby mentality that has taken hold of the HSR honchos. A small group of insiders concocted a plan, paid some consultants to recommend it, and now they are prepared to ram it thru in a manner reminiscent of the old Division of Highways building a freeway. Anybody who questions their plan(which invariably calls for a massive elevateds)is mocked as a "NIMBY". Only a sociopath would want their neighborhood to become less desirable. The real object of derision should be the bureaucrats whose hubris is so great that it prevents them from altering their plan in the face of criticism. They would rather make enemies than lose face.