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TOKYO ALBUM > Tokyo Photo News > Tokyo Photo News backnumbers > Tokyo Photo News 2009 > Tokyo Photo News February 2009
Haneda Airport’s fourth runway under construction
A fourth runway, Runway D, is under construction at Haneda Airport, which is on the verge of reaching maximum capacity due to the increasing number of incoming and outgoing flights. A bird’s-eye view clearly shows the land reclamation at the mouth of the Tamagawa River and the emerging structure of the 2,500 meter runway. Completion of the runway will increase airport capacity from an annual 296,000 flights to 407,000 flights.
Photo: Haneda Airport and Runway D under construction at the far end of the airport
Construction of Tokyo Sky Tree begins
Construction on the body of the Tokyo Sky Tree, which will be the tallest structure in Japan, has begun next to Narihirabashi Station (1-chome Oshiage, Sumida Ward) on the Tobu Isesaki Line. The tower will stand 610 meters tall to avoid obstructions to the signals it will be broadcasting. The second observatory, which will be open to visitors, is scheduled to boast a height of 450 meters?180 meters higher than Japan’s highest observatory today located in the Yokohama Landmark Tower.
Photo center: Tokyo Sky Tree under construction and beyond it the Sumidagawa River
The Bayshore Route leading directly to the city center
The Shinonome Junction (Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway No.10 Harumi Route, Toyosu ramp) opened to traffic on February 11. Running from the left to right under the grade-separated interchange in the foreground is the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway Bayshore Route. The Ginza area can be seen in the background, and to the far left is Tokyo Tower. With the opening of this junction, cars from the Yokohama and Chiba areas can avoid passing through the often-congested Hamazaki-bashi, Hakozaki, and Edobashi junctions and go straight to the center of Tokyo.
Umi-no-Mori to invite sea breezes into the city center
This is a landfill located in the inner central breakwater (center of photo), created from urban waste and surplus soil from construction sites. The section of green on the landfill is where elementary school pupils and volunteers have planted saplings. Based on the Umi-no-Mori project currently underway by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, this site will be transformed into a vast 88-hectare forest in 10 years time to become the source of cool, refreshing breezes blowing from the sea into the city.
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