TOKYO: The Tokyo metropolitan government has unveiled to the media the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal, set to open on Sept. 10.

However, no cruise ship is scheduled to call at the terminal in Tokyo’s Koto Ward at the moment due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The metropolitan government decided to build the new terminal, shown to the media on Wednesday, after more and more large vessels gave up calling at the Harumi Passenger Ship Terminal in the Japanese capital’s Chuo Ward as they were too tall to sail under the nearby Rainbow Bridge in Minato Ward. The new terminal is located closer to Tokyo Bay than the Harumi terminal and the Rainbow Bridge.

The Tokyo International Cruise Terminal’s quay is 430 meters long. The terminal can handle ships of up to 220,000 tons, the largest class for cruise ships.

The steel-framed four-story terminal building has a total floor space of some 19,000 square meters.

Construction work for the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal started in 2015 and was completed in June this year.

The facility, which cost some 39 billion yen to be developed, was initially scheduled to go into service from July to coincide with the opening of the Tokyo Olympics. But the schedule had been delayed due to the epidemic.

The metropolitan government hopes the new terminal will mainly be utilized as an event venue for the time being, with event organizers making good use of the facility’s location overlooking Tokyo Bay and the center of Japan’s capital.

“We’re not in a situation to enjoy cruise trips at the moment due to the coronavirus outbreak, but we want to welcome many people someday” at the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal, said Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, who visited the facility on Wednesday.

JIJI Press