The 91-year old former Sogo Mutual Loan building in Tokyo’s Jimbocho neighborhood will be demolished in September. The 5-story concrete building with brick-tile facade was built in 1929. It has a total floor area of 453 sqm (4,874 sq.ft) and sits on a 106 sqm block of land.

It has been occupied by various banks over its 90-year history, with the Japan Thailand Association the most recent tenant. The building was sold in December 2019 to the real estate arm of a nearby book publisher.

Demolition is scheduled to start on September 7 and the building will be completely razed by December 26, 2020. 

Heritage protection laws in Japan are very weak. A property owner essentially has full freedom to decide whether to preserve or demolish their building, even if it has a heritage listing.

Location

Kanda Jimbocho 2 Chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 

Source: J Town Net, August 23, 2020.

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