Complete View of Minato Mirai 21 (As of May 3rd 1996, Photo courtesy of City of Yokohama)
1. Goals of the Project
With the opening of the Port, Yokohama was opened to international trade, and became the nexus through which Japanese products were distributed to the world market. As new knowledge and information flowed in, Yokohama developed into an international trading city which played a leading role in the development of both the economy and culture of Japan. However, from around the 1960's to the 1970's, during the height of Japan's high economic growth period, rapid population growth severely strained the urban infrastructure of Yokohama, and caused a severe backlog in the building of roads , parks, sewage systems and other public services. It is against this backdrop that the Minato Mirai 21 (Port of the Future 21st Century) project was launched to revitalize central Yokohama. The project has three main goals:
1. To integrate the central business and commercial district that is currently divided between the Kannai business district and the Yokohama station area into one aggregation of corporate head offices, and shopping and cultural facilities. By restrining population drain from Yokohama, increasing the opportunities for employment, and reinvigorating the downtown area, Yokohama hopes to increase its independence. To meet this objective, projects will be promoted to revitalizing its economy and build the necessary infrastructure.
2. Transferring the old wharf in the inner port to the new wharf in the outer port, and redeveloping the waterfront of the inner port into an area opened to its citizens. Also to promote the qualitative transformation of the port by integrating facilities for the promotion of international exchange with the administrative buildings of the port authorities.
3. In response to the central government's plan to decentralize the governmental and business activities which are concentrated in Tokyo today, Yokohama. being the prime candidate for decentralization, will promote the congregation of business, commercial and international exchange activities.
Minato Mirai 21 Master Plan (Photo courtesy of YOKOHAMA MINATOMIRAI 21 Corp.)
