NHK to Redevelop Shibuya Broadcasting Centre
Television broadcaster NHK announced plans to redevelop their broadcasting centre in Shibuya. The project is expected to cost approximately 300 billion Yen and will be completed by 2025 (although the president of NHK expressed a desire to have it completed by the 2020 Olympics).Read more
Shibuya City Office redevelopment to include new apartments
The redevelopment of the ageing Shibuya City Offices will include a 37-storey apartment building with 414 apartments.
Part of the development site will be leased to a developer on a 70-year term. The revenue from the leasehold is expected to cover the costs of the city office redevelopment. Five developers are bidding for the project, and the final decision will be made in the next few months.Read more
Shibuya Station area redevelopment to include residential component
Details of the Shibuya Station Sakuragaoka Entrance Redevelopment were recently made announced. As part of the major redevelopment of the Shibuya Station redevelopment, the Sakuragaoka Entrance Redevelopment located to the south-west side of the station will include two office buildings and a 32-storey mixed-use residential/commercial building. Read more
Large-scale resort/apartment complex planned for Yokosuka
After sitting idle for almost 25 years, a large-scale resort/apartment complex may finally be built at the eastern side of the City Marina Velasis in Yokosuka. The 8 hectare site was once the Sumitomo Heavy Industries Kawama Factory and ship building yards.
In 1989, Sumitomo's SHI Resort Development planned to build a 700-unit resort condominium complex, but the collapse of the property bubble put their plans on indefinite hold. Sumitomo later sold the land and yacht harbour to Unimat. In 1993, approval was granted to built the Velasis Uraga apartment blocks which were completed in 2001. There were also plans to develop the eastern side, but construction stalled over 10 years ago and the land has remained vacant.Read more
Former Taiyo Dept Store in Kumamoto to be demolished
The Daiei Kumamoto Shimotori Store (formerly the Taiyo Department Store) in Kumamoto City will be demolished next year. The building was the scene of a devastating fire in 1973 that killed 104 people and injured 120.
The 60 year old building opened in 1952 as the Taiyo Department Store. In its early days it was considered the best store in the city.
The store was closed for the next two years following the fire as the building underwent repairs. When it finally re-opened, 120,000 people visited on the opening day. However, the store never fully recovered from the incident and went bankrupt a year later.
Central Tokyo's first 5-storey wooden building completed
Last month, Mitsui Home completed the construction of a 5-storey wood-frame building in Ginza.This is the second 2x4 wood-framed 5-storey building to be built in Japan, and is the first in central Tokyo. In April 2012, a 5-storey apartment building was competed in Setagaya-ku.Read more
Yomiuri Shimbun Building officially opened
The new headquarters of the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper in Otemachi was officially opened on November 28. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gave a celebratory address to the 900 guests at the opening ceremony.
The 200m tall 33-storey building has replaced the former 10-storey head office. It is now the tallest building in the Otemachi area and is slightly higher than the 199.7m tall Otemachi Tower which was completed in August.Read more