Nearing the end of his official visit to Japan, Luís Montenegro traveled the 500 kilometers separating Tokyo from Osaka on a high-speed train, completing the journey in just over two hours.
“It is a train that reminds us of the importance of high-speed rail, in the case of our country, connecting the two major cities, Lisbon and Porto, but also the linkage to Spain and the rest of Europe,” he stated during a conversation with journalists on board.
The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of connecting “all European capitals” by high-speed rail, noting that it would benefit “the economy, people’s mobility, and also the environment.”
When asked about the timeline for Portugal’s high-speed rail plans, Montenegro committed to “accelerate as much as possible and not delay the execution of the project any further.”
On the question of whether Portuguese politics is moving almost as fast as Japan’s bullet train, following the release of a poll that puts Chega ahead of AD in voting intentions, the Prime Minister offered a remark.
“Politics is always conducted at high speed, but it is also necessary to understand that those who run very fast, without knowing which direction they are going, often may not achieve the desired result. We are very calm in this path, we do not want to waste time, but we also do not want to do anything in a rush,” he said.
Regarding the high-speed project in Portugal, the Prime Minister detailed that the Lisbon-Porto connection is already “in progress, in preparatory acts of physical work, notably expropriations,” but the project has been awarded.
Montenegro added that following this connection, and the planned Porto-Vigo line, “already underway,” the Lisbon to Madrid connection will be established, directly linking the future Luís de Camões airport to the Spanish capital.
“Rail transport has the advantage of being fast and also a very environmentally friendly mode of transport,” he highlighted.
The Prime Minister concludes his two-day official visit to Japan today with a program at the Osaka Expo.
Montenegro arrived in Beijing on Monday, where he conducted a two-day official visit to China, including a stop in Macau, before proceeding to Tokyo. There, on Thursday, he held meetings with the Japanese counterpart, business leaders, and athletes representing Portugal at the World Athletics Championships.
This afternoon, the Prime Minister will visit the Portugal and Japan pavilions at the Osaka Expo, which ends on October 13.
Portugal is one of the 161 countries participating in the exhibition dedicated to the theme: “Designing Future Societies for Our Lives.”
Portugal’s participation in the exhibition centers on the theme “Ocean: Blue Dialogue,” involving more than 150 companies, associations, municipalities, and national artists.
