TOKYO -- East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) on March 27 inaugurated a segment of Takanawa Gateway City, a mixed-use development surrounding Takanawa Gateway Station in Tokyo's Minato Ward.

The railway company aims to solve social issues through experiments using data obtained from the station and its surroundings. By the facilities' full opening in spring 2026, the area is expected to transform into a bustling new community with over 100,000 daily visitors.

Takanawa Gateway City consists of five buildings stretching 1.6 kilometers north to south, with a total floor area of approximately 845,000 square meters. The Linkpillar 1, directly connected to the station, features a 29-story north tower and a 30-story south tower. The office floors host the headquarters of companies like KDDI Corp. and Maruha Nichiro Corp. It also includes a convention center that can host international conferences. This fall, the JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo will open on the upper floors of the south tower, and the shopping facility NEWoMan Takanawa will also fully open.

Autonomous mobility and data-driven services

In 1872, when Japan's first railroad line opened between Shimbashi and Yokohama stations, the Takanawa area had a rail line running on an embankment reclaimed from the sea. Taking into account the history of the technology that was brought together at the time, the gateway city's concept is "an experimental ground for a fulfilling life 100 years ahead," aiming to become an international hub for new business and culture.

There, passengers can use standing, autonomous mobility devices, as security, cleaning and delivery robots whiz around, linked to a database about the entire development. By linking with the Suica IC card, JR East will also start to provide information tailored to each user via a dedicated app when they pass through a station ticket gate. The company also plans to develop a landing site for "flying cars" (with a cruising distance of 400 km), which are expected to begin commercial operation in 2028, aiming to utilize them for sightseeing in Japan's northeastern Tohoku, central Joshinetsu and other regions.

Total project cost of $4 billion

The project's development site was previously a rail yard along the Yamanote Line. JR East independently advanced the project, investing approximately 600 billion yen (roughly $4 billion) to repurpose the expansive site, whose functions have been scaled back following the scrapping of locomotive and sleeper express trains and the direct service between the Tokaido Line and the Takasaki/Utsunomiya lines.

Scheduled for spring 2026 are the openings of the 31-story The Linkpillar 2, housing offices and medical and wellness facilities, as well as MoN Takanawa, a cultural creation facility designed by architect Kengo Kuma, plus the 44-story luxury rental residence Takanawa Gateway City Residence, which includes an international school.

JR East is also pursuing redevelopment projects at Hamamatsucho and Oimachi stations, mindful of future openings like the Linear Chuo Shinkansen and the Haneda Airport Access Line (tentative name), and is currently promoting urban development in the wider Shinagawa and surrounding area. The company aims to achieve annual operating revenue of 100 billion yen (about $665 million) by around 2034, primarily from office and commercial space rental income.

(Japanese original by Kazuki Sakuma, Business News Department)