Russia’s Proposal for a Tunnel to Japan 

Unlikely because: 1. Kuril Islands dispute 2. USA

this always happens when they have plans but it never happens, i would love to see some videos that talk about projects that are already happening

It sounds like a good idea.If Russia and Japan would settle the island dispute.Then you could drive from England all the way to Japan!

Unless Russia and Japan form better relations, I don’t think Japan will be connected to the mainland. The Japan - Korea tunnel wouldn’t work as North Korea would block access to the rest of Asia

Isn’t the relationship between Russia and Japan rather cold? Like that uncle you haven’t talked to in 40 years.

It's one of those "all talk no action" project proposals.

I would like to see Russia and Japan improve relations in order for this project to actually happen. It would be so cool to travel from Russia to japan from train!

Umm... the bridge at 7:21 is in Hobart, Tasmania, a very very long way from either Japan or Russia.

It really makes a lot of sense, outside of the construction costs. There are a lot of issues that would have to be overcome. Resolution of Post World War II disputes is the big one, built all the support infrastructure. Dealing with different rail gauges. At this point in time, Russia's economy can't support such an effort. So start with shipping Japanese goods to Vladivostok for shipment by rail to Europe, work out all those problems so that it very cost-effective. They can do that now, and if it all works out to the satisfaction of the parties involved, then you can look at taking further steps. This would be a 40 to 60-year project to get all the things built that you would need. It will all come down to trust and put to bed old hard feelings, It would also require that tunnel across the Bering Straits. So it would be a huge if not the biggest construction project in history. In the end, I doubt such a project will ever get off the ground, let alone completed. At least not as things stand right now.

Great idea! Now the 5 people who live there can visit Japan

It won't happen japan and russia have complex relations.

The part of Sakhalin that the tunnel would land on used to be part of Japan too. In the last days of WWII the USSR conquered the island and forced the Japanese out. Until recently the track gauge on Sakhalin and in Japan was the same because the Japanese governed the island and built the railroads there.

No need for tunnel. All trade from Asia to Europe will utilize Arctic Trade Route.

Honestly, I feel that burrowing a tunnel connecting the two countries would take FOREVER. The highway that I frequently use to go to work every day is _still_ under construction, even though they've begun the project over a full year-and-a-half ago now. So imagine how long it would take to construct a 43 kilometer long tunnel - _under water._ Possibly over a hundred years.

I want to build a tunnel connecting Earth and Mars

Forget Japan connection, Russia MUST prioritize linking Sakhalin to the mainland as soon as it can as a matter of national interest. If it can build a bridge to Crimea in less than 5 years (planning to completion), I'm sure it will be a lot easier to connect Sakhalin.

Who's here before futurology hits 1 million subscribers?

Exchanging Kurile islands means losing a good fishing place, and probably also part of the strategic control of Okhost sea?

Russia should not give up those Islands to Japan. It will be a great mistake. Then US will put their bases to circle Russia. Japan will tell Russia that would never happen as soon as Russia gives them up Japan would let US put bases on those Islands. But remember what US told Russia about NATO would not move one inch eastward towards Russia. Now look NATO all over Russia's borders. Don't make that mistake a third time Russia.

The problem is not the Kurile Islands only: Japan and the US are allies, and the US has almost succeeded in baffling the Northstream pipeline to Europe. And, as I recently heard, many Japanese think, that Russia nuked Hiroshima and Nagasaki,, not the US.

Fun fact: I have seen similar concepts in some fictional mapping communities in Japan

I Think that the tunnel could be possible but I don’t think that Russia will give the islands back to Japan

First, the Japan-Russia tunnel will not be built unless Japan and Russia conclude a peace treaty. And the Japanese side does not need the Japan-Russia tunnel itself because it is unlikely that it will have much economic effect even if it is connected to Russia by a tunnel.

Russia can't even construct a tunnel from their mainland to Sakhalin a six mile long endeavor. What makes one think that the Russians are capable of constructing a tunnel to Hokkaido. Besides the Kuril's takeover is something Russia refuses to resolve.

Another big reason: It will give both countries an alternative towards China.

For a good tunnel hire Dutch engineers as they are the best in building tunnels

Japan is an island nation with the ocean as their natural defense. With their history, I highly doubt they'd be eager to build a land tunnel into their homeland.

The solution with the handing over of Kuril’s won’t work, because that sets a dangerous precedent, where China could suddenly decide to take land form Russia and other Asian countries. China’s historical entity, the Qin Dynasty used to have territorial sovereignty over a lot of Russia’s eastern lands 200-400 years ago. Then because of Nevelskoy, after whom the bridge is named, China handed over the lands to the Russian empire, and it’s been Russian since. That’s how me, a Russian, was born on Sakhalin.

The two nations were still living in a status of war!

At this point any economically viable bridges and tunnels have been buily already. Linking Hokkaido with an obscure russian province cost billions and makes Japan less defensible.

Potential Japanese counter-offer: "We'll build a Sakhalin-Hokkaido tunnel, if you give South Sakhalin back to us." Remember, the Kurils aren't the only islands that the USSR took away from Japan.

I love learning about infrastructure projects that I never heard of before from around the world thx :)

Hi, I'm from Russia, and let me tell you, that firstly, Sakhalin has only 500 000 people living on it. They are mostly there for fishing and supplying our military bases. There is no economic value in connecting this wasteland to Japan. This can only lead to an inflood of Japanese citizens moving to the island, that they still claim as their own, and may lead to a nasty separatist movement there. so this is expansive and a cause for a Russo-Japanese war 2.0

It would be cool if they exchanged the islands for Japan's co-operation and funding.

Seems like a win-win for north Japan and east Russia which are really damn close. I see it happening one day

It's a lot of money, not sure if the gains outweigh the benefits. I come from NZ. We are two islands, I wonder if a plan for tunnel under Cook Strait has ever been proposed. Enjoying your channel

The United States will veto any project that diversifies its dependence on the United States. It would thwart a naval blockade on Japan. Moreover, Japan could have its own Silk Road to Europe. The American would never allow this.

Dang, I'm early! Great editing, voiceover and research, keep up with the great job and the amazing content!

RU-vid has brought me to a few of your video's today, and I have to say im impressed with wildly the proposals underestimate the cost of massive projects like this one. It just seems everyone making the proposals are just hoping to get things started before people look at the actual costs and benefits of the projects, and the sunk cost of having started will keep people making them. Japan only imports 13.6B and exports 19.6B from and to russia each year. While a singular rail link between the two may increase this number, the cost will never be justified. Also Sakhalin is also disputed Japanese territory so its highly unlikely they will be willing to spend any money linking to the island, while its still owned by Russia.

There would be 5 passengers anually passing thru the tunnel and 0 ton of goods. I don't find this project any feasible at all

Not gonna happen unless the Kuril Islands dispute gets revolved.

Maybe not in our lifetimes, but eventually, yes I believe this tunnel will be built.

That may never happen until the Kuril Islands, a chain of barrier islands located between Hokkaido Island and the Kamchatka Peninsula, and Sakhalin are returned to the Japanese.

A tunnel to Korea and Asia mainland will be much more useful for japan

seems like russia really wants to build a tunnel

And don't worry about rail road width: in Sakhalin railroad has Japanese width, because it was Japanese who started to build railroad system of Sakhalin after 1905.

They should definitely build it, because if it means developing Siberia, it's better protected against Chinese expansion

Very interesting, wonder if it will happen. Great job!

Obviously, Russia recently named Japan as one of their targets and now we know why. They want Hokkaido. Their justification was that the Ainu people are being fairly mistreated when we barely have any left.

Russia has absolutely no serious or meaningful intention whatsoever to construct this tunnel. Putin's quoted answer to that journalist's random question was just your ordinary "anything's possible" type of response that politicians give in place of any firm commitment or any explicit rejection, nothing more serious or more deliberate than that. And whoever thinks that Russia would be willing to trade its Kuril Islands for economic cooperation with Japan, is deluded to put it mildly. That was only a realistic option during Yeltsin's chaotic rule in the 1990:s when Russia was in desperate need of money and when Japan was still the largest economy in Asia and the second largest economy in the world. But Japan let that opportunity slip through its own inaction and it's an opportunity that's never coming back. Long story short, Russia will not waste any money on connecting Japan to the Eurasian mainland. Connectivity with the world's largest economy China (and with the Korean peninsula for the same cost) is far more profitable and far less expensive, with the added bonus of extending that connectivity to the rapidly growing Southeast Asian economies-and further down the road also to South Asian markets. Japan is really yesterday's news and yesterday's growth story. While Japan still carries a lot of weight in international trade, its significance is slowly but surely decreasing. No economic projections into the future could justify investing that amount of money into connectivity with Japan, an isolated island chain that's on the road to nowhere, with a stagnant population and a stagnant growth to boot.

What a stupid proposal. Sakhalin Island is a thousand kilometers of practically nothing. There is virtually no economic justification for it. With an entire population of half a million, very little infrastructure currently exists. It will never happen.

it doesn't make sense economically. japan has highly educated and low numbers workforce. the main benefit of the rail connection is cheep row goods that japan doesn't really want because it would have to import labor.

Sakhalin is an island. It does have ferry service to Russia, including a train ferry. However the average trip is 11-12 hours. The current ferries can carry up to 28 train wagons. Also, considerable work has to be done to accommodate train cars. The Sakhalin railway has a different gauge than the national one. Russia started to build a tunnel to Sakhalin in the 1950s but abandoned it.

Korea option is 110% better.

Lol the “landslide” is a glitch from transport fever

And yet they chose to invest in war instead.

Where is Konstantin Rodzaevsky, if it was him we would have this bridge done in no time. TNO REFERENCE

Japan refuses because it is not profitable.

В этом проекте хорошо все, кроме территориального спора между Россией и Японией. Очевидно, что Япония никогда не перестанет требовать часть Курильских островов себе, а Россия их никогда не отдаст. Надежда на реализацию проекта есть только в случае, если Россию и Японию возглавят политики, которые смогут временно отложить территориальные споры в сторону и ради взаимной выгоды построят тоннель. В этой ситуации жаль, что десятилетиями обе страны теряют огромные возможности и не получают прибыль.

No no no way Japan doesn't need anything from Russia.

50 billions for this? totally unfeasable. Just ship the goods.

If Russia will be an democratic country that will be a good idea.

Most of these "proposal" projects seem to follow a very similar thread

Russia want a develop East due to growing Chinese influence in the region

Nah Russia will use that to invade

I think Kuril Islands will never handover to Japan forever until Russia itself was collapse.

I've been waiting for this! So glad you covered it!

Impossible unless US military leaves Japan.

100,000 = population of nearby areas of proposed Japan-Russia tunnel 10,000,000 = population of nearby areas of proposed Japan-Korea tunnel that has been talked about for +100 years but never been built

Just give Sakhalin to Japan

Simple: bring back the Karafuto prefecture

Damg man I was just thinking about it today and you made a video on it side get out of my head😆😆😆💕💕💕

If Russia wants to get the japanese interested in such a tunnel, it should spend the money improving links to China, a much bigger market for russian resources.

Futurology in 3 weeks, *Elon Musk is considering a tunnel to mars*

I've always wanted to take a train from London to Tokyo

wow didnt know that! imagine being able to drive to Japan 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

日本とロシアを繋げるのは良いです。

Not sure which is more bonkers..... The Russia to Japan tunnel or the proposed canal linking the black sea to Austria 🤔

Could you do a video on the US North Atlantic Rail project? Its a highspeed railway+new connections for New England. Its expected to cost over 100b if it happens

Exchanging the disputed islands for Japan's expertise in the tunnel seems to be a win-win for all and will see the tunnel being built.

As you know Seattle is an earthquake prone area. Two Seattle engineers stated that a tunnel would be safe

What about a video on Malta to Gozo Tunnel 🇲🇹🇲🇹

This would hurt China if Russia becomes Japan friendly.

Its creator claimed that it could move forward without any propellant. That engine was indeed impossible, but because spacetime is very slightly curved, a device could actually move forward without any external forces or emitting a propellant - a novel discovery.”Physics generates fundamental knowledge needed for the future technological advances that will continue to drive the economic engines of the world.

Sakhalin actually uses the same train gauge as japan

Similar to train and shipping companies lobbying against oil pipelines, undersea tunnels and bridges are problematic for shipping and airline companies and would introduce additional competition for them.

This project will have to wait for another 200 years.

When I hear "proposal to build tunnel from Russia to Japan" all I could think of is KGB coming to Japan and Yakuza coming to Russia. 😂

if they did this and then a berring strait tunnel, the entire world (save oceania and south america because of the darien gap) would be connected by land

Surprise that South Korea never considered the tunnel.

Is it cool to put forward video ideas? I wad thinking a video on the Channel Tunnel (UK to France) the lessons learnt, and how its done better today. It could talk about machines used, etc etc vs tech out now and coming out in the future. You could probably find out a lot of information from the companies that make those types of machines

Wow I’m early! Great video as always man!

Nice video.

It seems that everyone wants to build all these tunnels, but nobody is actually building them.

This didn’t age well

FOR MY PERSONAL OPINION IT IS A GREAT IDEA TO PROMOTE FURTHER TRADE AND FRIENDSHIP. HOPING THEY FORGET THE PAST AND FOCUS IN THE FUTURE SINCE IT WILL ENEFIT BOTH

Large chasms that are plagued by innumerable fault lines are never a problem for jet airliners. That's why it's dumb to consider spending about $100B for a treacherous ground-based tunnel like this. It's like thinking a road designed for horse and carriage would be better than a superhighway for motorized vehicles.

Hello Futurology! can you please talk about Egypt's El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant?

The Kuril Islands should go back to Japan. Under Russia they will stay underdeveloped

If the place is seismic, use the steel in cast iron for tunnel shell.