Big Shopping Center with Wide Duty-Free Zone to Open in Ginza

Tokyo, Dec. 10 (Jiji Press)--Tokyu Land Corp. said Thursday it will open a big shopping center with the largest floor space in Tokyo for duty-free shops in the capital's posh Ginza district on March 31, 2016. The Tokyu Plaza Ginza, which will have 11 stories aboveground and two below, is scheduled to house 125 clothing, accessory and other shops as well as eateries. The building with a total sales floor space of 22,000 square meters will be completed at the Sukiyabashi intersection, Tokyu Land said. Duty-free shops will be operated by South Korea's Lotte group and located on the eighth and ninth floors. Estimating that sales to foreign visitors will account for some 10 pct of the total sales of the Tokyu Plaza Ginza, the developer will set up a tourist information booth with staff speaking foreign languages. The building's exterior is inspired by motifs of the Japanese traditional craft "Edo kiriko," or carving on the surface of glass. Tokyu Land President Hitoshi Uemura said at a press conference that the firm hopes the shopping center will become a landmark in Ginza attracting people from all over the world. END