I find it curious that foreign tourists with JR passes will potentially benefit from the Tsuruga extension far more than domestic travellers used to the Nozomi.

That the JR Pass friendly Hikari Shinkansen stops at Maibara whereas the Nozomi does not and helps make it so the 45 minute connection between Maibara and Tsuruga a diverting inconvenience rather than the frustrating pain in the bum the whole thing must be for time sensitive business travellers.