TOKYO, Oct. 17 - The Japanese government on Friday approved an application submitted by JR Tokai to build the Chuo Shinkansen, a maglev line which is designed to ultimately connect Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.

The company, also known as Central Japan Railway Co., plans to open the magnetic levitation train line between Tokyo and Nagoya in 2027 and extends the service westward to Osaka in 2045.

When it is finished, the travel time between Tokyo and Osaka, two major Japanese cities, would be shortened to 67 minutes from the current 138 minutes by the fastest bullet train currently in service. The overall cost of the work is estimated at 9 trillion yen (about 84.5 billion U.S. dollars).

Transport Minister Akihiro Ota told a press conference Friday that the plan has been approved, but expressed concern over the project's environmental impact, pointing to the need for JR Tokai to win acceptance from local residents.

According to the construction plan, 86 percent of the 286- kilometer-long line between Tokyo and Nagoya will be tunnels and trains will run more than 40 meters underground in urban areas.

The construction work would possibly be started later this month.