Underground missile shelter to be built near Tokyo Station

The Tokyo metropolitan government has announced plans to construct a massive underground shelter near Tokyo Station to protect residents and visitors in the event of a ballistic missile attack. Governor Yuriko Koike announced the initiative during a press conference this month, stating that a survey will begin in the current fiscal year.

The facility, located approximately 2 to 11 meters underground in the Yaesu Parking Lot, will span around 13,000 square meters and feature blast-proof doors and storage shelves for emergency supplies.

The project marks the second underground emergency shelter in Japan, following a 1,400-square-meter storage facility at Azabu-Juban subway station, which is currently being renovated. Koike chose the Yaesu parking facility due to its close proximity to Tokyo Station, which she described as the "gateway to the capital" with a high volume of visitors.

The decision to build the shelter follows North Korea's repeated missile tests, including those launched into the Sea of Japan. Koike described these tests as a "serious and grave threat" that cannot be tolerated and emphasized the importance of safeguarding Tokyo residents' lives and property. The completion date, specific construction requirements, and costs of the project will be determined after the survey, which is expected to continue until fiscal 2027.

Meanwhile, the central government has also announced plans to set up similar underground shelters in remote islands in Okinawa Prefecture, amid China's increasing military pressure on Taiwan. In Japan's westernmost Yonaguni Island, about 110 kilometers east of Taiwan, construction work on a shelter is set to be completed around spring 2028.