In Response to North Korean Missile Threats, Japan to Convert Underground Parking Near Tokyo Station Into Shelter

Tokyo Reinforces Evacuation System Amid North Korean Missile Threats
13,000-Square-Meter Underground Parking Garage to Be Converted into Shelter

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is pursuing a plan to convert an underground parking lot near Tokyo Station into an emergency evacuation facility in preparation for potential ballistic missile attacks.

Tokyo, Japan. Photo by AFP News Agency

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 29th (local time), the Tokyo Metropolitan Government intends to renovate the Yaesu parking garage, located close to Tokyo Station, into an underground shelter where residents and tourists can evacuate in the event of a missile attack.

Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, announced at a press conference earlier this month that an investigation would begin by March of next year for the renovation of the facility. The Yaesu parking garage is located approximately 2 to 11 meters below ground and covers a total area of about 13,000 square meters.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is considering installing blast doors and providing space to store emergency supplies. However, details of the construction, the project budget, and completion timeline will be determined based on the results of the investigation. The related study will continue through the 2027 fiscal year.

If the Yaesu parking garage is converted into a shelter, it will become the second emergency underground evacuation facility in Tokyo. Currently, work is also underway to convert the disaster stockpiling facility at Azabujuban Station into an evacuation site.

The decision to select the Yaesu parking garage took into account its strategic location near Tokyo Station. Tokyo Station is one of the main transportation hubs in the Japanese capital, serving large numbers of residents and tourists. Therefore, the authorities have determined that a facility capable of accommodating many people is necessary in times of emergency.

This plan comes amid ongoing ballistic missile launches by North Korea and increasing military tensions in the surrounding region.

Governor Koike condemned the repeated missile launches by neighboring countries as "an absolutely unacceptable, serious, and grave threat," stressing the necessity of preparations to protect the lives and property of Tokyo residents.

The Japanese government is pursuing the construction of similar evacuation facilities not only in Tokyo but also in the island regions of Okinawa Prefecture, which is close to Taiwan. On Yonaguni Island, Japan's westernmost point located about 110 kilometers east of Taiwan, construction of a shelter is underway and completion is expected in the spring of 2028.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.