Yokohama City announced on June 5th that it selected a group of companies led by Malaysian conglomerate Berjaya Corporation to develop a 2.2 ha land in Minato Mirai 21. The group called "BMD62" proposed to build a multi-purpose complex of a luxury hotel, an aquarium, and retail shops. The building will have total floor area of 820,000 square meters. The city and the group will conclude a land sales contract within a year. Construction is scheduled to start in October 2022 with completion slated in March 2026.

Two Japanese companies, Marubeni and Daiwa House Industry are also participating in the project. According to the proposal, the facility will have a total of 82,661 square meters with two basements and 14 stories above ground. The aquarium will be built on the 1st to 3rd floors, while the 4th to 14th floors will be the hotels and condominiums. The group plans to invite international luxury hotel brand Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

The city of Yokohama cited the companies’ track records in development as one of the deciding factors. The proposal of the high-end hotel and the cutting-edge aquarium integrating digital technologies was also in line with the city’s policy to promote tourism and entertainment. (2020/06/08)