It was revealed that JR West has a plan to construct a new station between Ishiyama(both are locating in Otsu) and Seta. JR West intends to have a conference with Otsu city to discuss the problem.
JR West begged the city to set the conference. The city says "We want to review it all the more for its encouraging the development of our city."
In the area where the new station is proposed, estate development and increasing population are undergoing.
Passengers per day is around 48000 at Ishiyama station, is around 34000 at Seta station. The distance between them is about 2.5km.
JR Weat also have a plan to construct a new station between Minami-kusatsu and Seta in Kusatsu city.
Translate from http://www.asahi.com/travel/rail/news/OSK201108250036.html
I think that it is time to extend the local train which terminates at Kyoto to Kusatsu in order to deal with the increasing passengengers in southern district of Shiga prefecture. This should be done parallel with construction of the new stations.
