The Tsugaru Strait divides the Japanese islands of Honshu and Hokkaido, posing logistical challenges for companies who need products that cannot be carried through an undersea rail tunnel.
TOKYO –At first glance, an undersea rail tunnel connecting Japan’s main island of Honshu to its northern neighbor of Hokkaido would seem like a logistical blessing for chipmaker Rapidus and its plans to produce cutting-edge semiconductors near the top of the country.
But trains are banned from carrying potentially dangerous substances such as high-pressure gas or inflammable liquids through the 54-kilometer Seikan Tunnel, which opened in 1988 and includes a 23-km section under the Tsugaru Strait.
