KADOMA, Osaka Pref.-- A 7.9-km extension of the Osaka Monorail Line linking Minami Ibaraki and Kadoma opens today.
With five new stations -- Sawaragi, Settsu, Minami Settsu, Dainichi and Kadoma-shi -- trains on the monorail line, the longest in Japan, will travel the 21.2 km between Osaka airport, in Toyonaka, and Kadoma in 37 minutes.
Over 200 people, including Osaka Gov. "Knock" Yokoyama, attended the ceremony to open the line Aug. 21 at Kadoma-shi Station.
The line intersects with the Tanimachi subway line at Dainichi Station and with the Keihan Line at Kadoma-shi Station.
Osaka Monorail Co. expects the number of passengers per day to increase to 80,000 from the current 50,000.
The company plans to open another 2.6-km section connecting Expo '70 Memorial Park and Osaka University Hospital in Suita next year.