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In an open tender held in September 2001, a consortium of
six entities won the contract to purchase and redevelop
the former Defense Agency site in Roppongi, central Tokyo.
Those six entities are the National Mutual Insurance Federation
of Agricultural Cooperatives, Yasuda Mutual Life Insurance
Company, Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance Company, Sekisui House,
Ltd., Daido Life Insurance Company, and Mitsui Fudosan Co.,
Ltd. Since winning the contract, the consortium has been
formulating a concrete development plan proposal. The plan
was officially accepted on March 31, 2003, having been approved
by the city planning council of Tokyo Metropolitan Government
on March 12, 2003.
This decision means that the basic framework (such as composition
and scale) of the plan has been finalized. The project will
feature a mixture of office, residential, commercial, and
cultural facilities (including a hotel), and will have a
maximum FAR (floor area ratio) of 670%. The adjacent Hinokicho
Park will be redeveloped as a vast open space, providing
around 4 hectares of immense greenery to the city center.
Local residents and businesses will be invited by the Minato
Ward authorities to participate in plans and work related
to the Hinokicho Park portion of the project.
The Akasaka 9-Chome Plan, as it is called, will be a private-sector
development associated with the sale of a large-scale national
government landholding. It will provide an integrated mixture
of work, living, leisure, and relaxation environments in
the center of Tokyo. From the development stage, moreover,
partial securitization techniques will be employed to inject
new capital into the project. For these reasons, the project
is expected to contribute significantly to Tokyo's "urban
renaissance." Only a year and a half after purchasing
the land, the consortium has already obtained city planning
approval. This is testimony to the cooperation and deep
understanding of the plan by the various relevant government
agencies and related local participants.
Dotted with embassies and home to numerous foreign residents,
the site's location is already highly international in nature.
The area has already boasted a good integration of work,
living, leisure, and relaxation facilities and is vibrant
24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A number of large-scale
development projects are under way in the area. Among these,
the Akasaka 9-Chome Plan has immense potential and promises
to add a valuable new dimension to Cosmopolitan Tokyo.
The Akasaka 9-Chome redevelopment plan is based on the "Tokyo
Midtown Concept," entailing creation of an urban environment
that will prompt people and corporations from around the
world to gather for activities and exchange. U.S. firm Skidmore,
Owings & and Merrill has been appointed as the master
architect of the project. Collaborative works have already
been launched by a number of Japanese and overseas architectural
design companies, which have been appointed for subsequent
design of buildings and landscaping.
While going through
the various procedures necessary before commencing construction
work, the consortium will undertake detailed studies of
the development plans for various facilities, including
surrounding infrastructure and public spaces, such as large-scale
open areas and plazas. While emphasizing harmonious coexistence
with surrounding projects, the consortium will welcome cooperation
from various companies and individuals, including locally
based parties. We are harnessing all of our energies toward
creating a "Tokyo Midtown" with intelligent input
from around the world.
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