Redeveloping Shinagawa - New train station and multipurpose city project underway in Tokyo’s Shinagawa area

Post date: 8/13/2014

After long delays, JR East has finally revealed on June 3, 2014 about the plan to open a new train station, the ‘New Shinagawa Station’. It is planned to open between the current Shinagawa and Tamachi stations and as the 30^th station of the Yamanote Line in the Olympic year 2020.

The planned area is currently being used as a rail yard for JR East train carriages. The new station will be located about 0.9Km to the north of Shinagawa station and about 1.3Km south of Tamachi station and will be a train stop for the Yamanote Line and the Keihin Tohoku Line.

Aiming for the creation of an international exchange hub surpassing the Roppongi Hills

Simultaneous to the opening of the new station, the plan also includes the construction of an international exchange hub by redeveloping the extensive 13ha (hectare) area which currently is the west part of the rail yard. The construction site is larger than Roppongi Hills which is 11.6ha and also larger than Roppongi Tokyo Mid Town which is 10.2ha. JR East will likely lead the development project. However, the public relations department of JR East announced that the details will be discussed and decided jointly with the Japanese Government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

The Shinagawa station is slated to serve as a terminal for the maglev shinkansen train service to begin in 2027. It is close to the Haneda Airport where more and more international flights will be arriving in. Opening the new station will accelerate the changing dynamic of the area around Shinagawa.

Revitalizing the neighborhood around the station and promoting growth

According to JR EAST, walkways will be created on the second floor to provide easy access around nearby areas. A huge ceiling is also planned to be constructed over the new station.

The Sengakuji subway stop with access to Hanada airport will be 300m away from the new station. “We would like to plan for an easy connection “, JR EAST President Tetsuro Tomita said. This will accommodate for a smoother transit to and from Haneda airport. The west area of Shinagawa station around the Takanawa Exit is likely to also be redeveloped due to the creation of the new station. The plan for improving and streamlining the major streets around the area will be also speeded up due. The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation Akihiro Ota was enthusiastic for the project and has said, “the JR EAST plan is a very important project for revitalizing the neighborhood and its growth.”

Up-ward trend of land prices around the new station due to continue

The land price of the area around Shinagawa, Takanawa, and Shibaura has been on an up-ward trend since last year after the announcements of huge scale redevelopment projects related to Tokyo Olympic in 2020. The plan for the new station and reconstruction of the neighborhood will push up this trend more.

Major contributing reasons are that the properties located between Shinagawa and Tamachi station will be close to the new station, and the convenience of life in the area will be improved by inviting more developments of hospitals, parks, day-care centers, and commercial facilities.

The area around the new station also overlaps with the “International strategic special zone” which was designated by the Japanese Government on December 2011. One of the main reasons is that the Haneda Airport which has been increasing the number of international flights is easily accessible. The Japanese Government eases immigration regulations for the workers and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government also eases taxes to attract more companies from overseas, seeking to make the neighborhood an international business center.

The new station will overall enhance the convenience of the area. The Shinagawa station will be the new Tokyo Gateway in 2027 with 40 minutes access to Nagoya by maglev shinkansen. The new station will be the closest JR station from the Shinagawa station in 2 minutes.