Minato Mirai 21 (みなとみらい21 Minato Mirai Nijūichi), often shortened to Minato Mirai or MM is a large urban development in Yokohama, Japan. Minato Mirai 21 area is designated for new urban center planned to connect city's traditional center of Kannai and Yokohama Station area.
Minato Mirai 21 is originally proposed as one of the Yokohama's six major development plan by the mayor of Yokohama, Ichio Asukata in 1965. After several assessments and review sessions, actual construction started in 1983. This is the area once was known as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd's Yokohama shipyard and Japanese National Railways classification yard, Takashima wharf and Shinko wharf of Port of Yokohama. Conducted as Urban Renewal and reclaimed land, the port and the industrial area once divided city center between Kannai and Yokohama Station, turned to new business district in Yokohama today. Minato Mirai 21 means "Port Future [in] 21[st century]", which was selected in a public pull opinion.
The area is being now flourished as one of the newest urban business district in the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan area where symbolized by the Landmark Tower, Japan's tallest skyscraper, the Queens Square Towers contains large shopping mall, the Pacifico Yokohama convention center, Intercontinental Hotel, Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel, and more. Next to Landmark Tower is the Yokohama Museum of Art.
In business, Nissan Motors Global Headquarters, JGC Corporation Headquarters, and other major corporations headquarters and branches as well as international organizations are located in this area in Yokohama. Today, about 79,000 people are working in Minato Mirai 21.
In Yokohama, Minato Mirai 21 also attracts numerous tourists along with nearby Yokohama Chinatown. In 2010, approximately 58 millions of people visited Minato Mirai 21. Due to graceful view, seashore accessibilty, cruse ships embarked at Ōsanbashi Pier, and Yokohama Bay Bridge, pictures of Minato Mirai 21 tends to be used for symbol of today's Yokohama.
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Major attractions in the area include the following:
Major hotels in the area with over 300 guestrooms include the following:
Today about 1,420 corporates located in Minato Mirai 21 area. The city government of Yokohama targets to increase employment upto 190,000 people, together with 10,000 planned regidents. In 2004, completion of the Minatomirai Line, connects the area directly to both central Yokohama, such as Bashamichi, Yokohama Chinatown and Motomachi, and Shibuya in Tokyo enhanced accessibility in this area. Minato Mirai 21 is now accessed by Minatomirai Line, East Japan Railway Company Negishi Line and Yokohama City Transportation Bureau Blue Line.
To encourage and support investment and business in Minato Mirai 21, there are types of support programs are available by both city of Yokohama and Kanagawa prefectural governments.
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