Mitsubishi Estate, TBS Holdings. and Tokyo Metro announced on November 18th that their joint development plan for the Akasaka 2 & 6 Chome areas has been approved by the Prime Minister as a National Strategic Urban Planning Building Improvement Project under the National Strategic Special Zone Plan.

The Prime Minister’s office gave approval on November 15th.

Approved projects under the National Strategic Special Zone Plan allow businesses who operate within them benefits such as tax saving plans, easier immigration procedures for skilled labour, subsidised services to better accommodate foreign skilled labour and more.  

Each project must submit plans and gain approval from the Prime Minister’s office to achieve the designation.

While this is a completely commercial redevelopment, the surrounding residential properties are expected to see an increase in demand due to immediate proximity.  

Source: Mitsubishi Estate Press Release

For the Akasaka project, the total site area is about 14,200 square meters, including the East (about 8,800 square meters) and West (about 5,400 square meters) Districts. 

A 41-story building with four basement levels will be constructed in the East District, and a 19-story building with three basement levels will be constructed in the West District.

Source: Mitsubishi Estate Press Release

The building in the East District will have offices on the 7th to 40th floors, as well as retail stores and corporate incubation facilities. In the West District, a hotel will occupy the 7th to 18th floors, and theaters and halls will occupy the 1st to 6th floors.

From the second basement to the ground level, there will be a plaza that will serve as a space in front of Akasaka station designed as a communal space, so that people will not feel the border between the station and the city beyond. 

Source: Mitsubishi Estate Press Release

A continuous space will be created from Akasaka Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, allowing visitors to move to the ground level. 

The station entrances and exits in each block will be equipped with elevators, escalators, and other barrier-free facilities to improve the pedestrian circulation and convenience of users.

In addition, a bus stop will be set up to receive airport limousine buses and sightseeing buses to improve accessibility for visitors and circulation within the surrounding area.

In order to enhance disaster preparedness, temporary accommodation facilities and emergency stockpiles will be set up to accommodate people who have difficulty returning home, and outdoor temporary waiting areas will be set up in case of a disaster. 

In addition, disaster information will be disseminated using signage, and electricity will be secured using emergency power generation facilities.

The development period is scheduled to begin in 2022 and projected to finish by 2028.

Further Reading

Mitsubishi Estate / Tokyo Metro / TBS Holdings Joint Press Release (Japanese only; November 2021)

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Invest Tokyo Information Site