TokyoYard PROJECT, a part of JR East's urban development project of "Takanawa Gateway City (tentative name)" (hereafter, Takanawa Gateway City), which covers the area around Takanawa Gateway Station, provides the background and process of the development and the philosophy behind the urban development.

In this issue, we will discuss the "Takanawa Convention Center" facility that is scheduled to be completed in Takanawa Gateway City's 4th district, Complex I. The facility will be a "next-generation MICE facility" equipped with a multi-function hall and meeting rooms to meet a variety of needs. It is including large-scale conventions such as international conferences, as well as high-speed, large-capacity, and multi-functional meeting rooms to realize cutting-edge information exchange both in real and virtual life.

What are the demands of today's MICE (*1), and how can we provide "next-generation" value by responding to these demands? Ikuko Nishimura of Congrès Inc., who has led numerous international conferences, including the G7 Summit, to success, will be our guest in a discussion with Yoshiya Amanai of East Japan Railway Company.

*1 MICE: A generic term for business events, including meetings of companies, incentive travel of companies, international conferences (conventions), exhibitions, trade fairs, and events (exhibitions) held by international organizations, associations, and academic societies. General term for business events.

We will never go back to the way we were before the pandemic.

Amanai:
Takanawa Gateway City, with its development concept of "Global Gateway," will not only provide an office, living, and educational environment for workers and residents, including ex-pats but also become a new international exchange hub. It is where information, people, culture, and business from all over the country interact with one another.
The introduction of MICE facilities that can attract various conventions from around the world has been under consideration for some time. The project will lead to the creation of a new center for international exchange where the world can come together.

Although JR East had expertise accumulated over many years in the office, commercial, and hotel sectors, we had no experience in operating or attracting large-scale international conference facilities. This time, we were fortunate to have Congrès Inc., a company that has a long track record of attracting international conferences and managing conference facilities, as our partner from the initial design stage.

The MICE facilities at Takanawa Gateway City are intended to be "the next-generation MICE facilities." Why and in what form do you think "the next generation" should be achieved?

Nishimura:
One of the main ideas concerning the holding of international conferences and their facilities is knowing how to design hybrid conventions that combine offline and online.
It is crucial to make sure that the facilities can withstand such a hybrid convention.

The "hybrid conventions" were, after all, accelerated by the pandemic, but now that the advantages and disadvantages of shifting online are to some extent in place. With the easing of entry restrictions in Japan and other countries, I feel that there are several great organizers, especially this year, who want to return to holding their conventions on-site.

Amanai:
However, it is not clear that people are going to go back offline completely.

Nishimura:
You are right. Everyone has experienced the convenience of online, such as the lack of travel time and the ease of participation by prominent overseas speakers and audiences. I believe that the online meeting format will continue to exist, although there are differences in what weight is placed on each event.

As hybrid online and offline events become mainstream, I believe that facilities are required to combine the value of both.

Amanai:
As online delivery becomes the mainstream for conferences, I believe that a high-speed, high-capacity network infrastructure is essential for MICE facilities in Takanawa Gateway City. It is to ensure the value of online delivery is not compromised. The reality is that many large conferences require the construction of a temporary high-speed network each time, therefore, we must provide such infrastructure functionality.

Nishimura:
This may be a minor point out, however, the size of data used by each participant has dramatically increased. In the past, it was enough for participants to check e-mail or search the Internet, but nowadays, the trend at international conferences is to "not use paper materials." The volume of Web-based materials is increasing rapidly, and many participants download materials at the venue. It is becoming more and more important in the operation of international conferences to provide a stable environment when participants download all the materials at once.

Amanai:
It has become commonplace to be able to connect to an online platform and interact with online participants while in the same location.

I think many people feel that online space has some disadvantages. It tends to become a "speech" rather than a meeting, it does not generate chit-chat, and it is almost impossible to interrupt the meeting. I think that is one of the disadvantages that many people feel. We believe it is possible to compensate for these defects and enhance the digital space in collaboration with the "Spatial Freedom Workplace," which was first tested at Takanawa Gateway City.

The Value of the Real in the Era of Hybridization

Nishimura:
Of course, the more we enhance the online experience in this way, the more the question is about the true meaning of "offline." It is a prerequisite that the content itself, such as what kind of conference or event to hold or what kind of speakers to invite, is excellent, but just listening to them can be done online as well. To realize a MICE where the exchange of people and information gathers physically, participants must have a reason to go all the way there for the meeting.

Amanai:
From the perspective of the organizers and participants, it is about whether there are things to gain and experiences to be had beyond the conference itself.

Nishimura:
For example, some MICE participants who could not go outside of the venue said that they could not experience what they had come to Japan for. On the other hand, there are many participants from overseas who fill their schedules before and after the conference to such an extent that they go to Mt.Fuji.

This may seem unrelated to the quality of conventions, but quality can no longer be described only in terms of content. It is also extremely important for MICE to provide the venue with the value of "people gathering there."
In this sense, I feel that Takanawa Gateway City, which JR East is promoting, is a great strength.

Amanai:
From your point of view, what do you think these strengths are?

Nishimura:
I think that the MICE facilities can be a great asset to the city.
It will have conference rooms for approximately 2,000 people and a large hall. Facilities with that kind of capacity are relatively common in the suburbs but are scarce in the city center. The fact that a large-scale MICE facility will be located in the heart of Tokyo, with excellent transportation access, is a major feature of the Takanawa Gateway City MICE facility.

It is also close to the airport, directly connected to the station, and has an extensive rail network, including the Shinkansen bullet train. You can enjoy Tokyo on a tight schedule and even add more business to your schedule.

Amanai:
I believe we can work with the Shinkansen Office to support a seamless work environment and options while traveling.

Nishimura:
I think we can also create a flow of action for participants not only in the meeting itself but also in a broader scope. There are many good facilities overseas, but I don't think there are many large facilities in such a convenient location.

Required Interior Facts and Traceability

Nishimura:
Beyond the functional aspects of the location and hardware, it is important to enhance traceability regarding the background and structure of meetings and events, to communicate them openly, and to have them integrated into every part of the event.

For example, I often feel that MICE in foreign countries are very careful about the food and beverage they prepare. Not only do they ensure a diversity of food that can be enjoyed by people from different countries, but they also make sure that the selection is in line with the theme of the conference, how they collaborate with the community, how much food waste there was, and so on. It is to the point where you are quite surprised that they even count such things. It is designed to be traceable well. Furthermore, after the verification, they give out the numbers to show how much was achieved against the target, and they transmit this information very well in a visual report.

Amanai:
We are required to have an event that has a theme, appropriate casting, and a story that extends from there to every detail. To ensure traceability from the beginning of the planning process, the facility must have the appropriate operational rules and functions to make this possible.

Nishimura:
Yes, that's right. For example, data on the amount of garbage, food loss, and electricity consumption will depend on whether the facility can compile such data and the operational rules to provide it. Without cooperation from the facility side, it is not easy to do so.

It is also true that environmentally friendly systems currently cost a lot of money. I have heard that a conference facility in Germany offers a choice between general electricity and renewable energy, with different tariff plans depending on the budget. These options also depend on whether or not the perspective of tackling the climate crisis is installed in the facility from the beginning.

Amanai:
For areas such as food loss, waste, and energy circulation, we can guarantee traceability because we will build a system that continuously measures the entire Takanawa Gateway City. On the other hand, since the conference organizers will remove and take back with them the molding and productions they used for the conference, it is difficult to trace them. In addition to the hardware infrastructure, rules and operations on the facility side will also become very crucial.

What can we leave behind at the venue?

Nishimura:
I assume that a conference facility that is "more than just a meeting" will be increasingly demanded of MICE in the future. It needs to be considered not only from the perspective of the attendees but also from the perspective of the people who live in the place where the event is held.

As I have been involved in conventions of all sizes, I am often concerned that even when prominent speakers gather for a meaningful conference, it may seem to local residents that the event started without their knowledge and ended on its own. Sometimes, I feel that some people may only find out later in the newspaper or news that the event has happened.

That is why the host organizations of MICE countries that decide on the venue of the event need to point out "what significance can they leave behind in the host country" as a major point of discussion. There is a need for MICE that is open to the community, not just for the participants or those who happen to be there to enjoy the event.

Amanai:
MICE is not limited to the facility itself but is conducted by the entire city, with the station, the town, and the region working together as one. This is the concept of MICE that Takanawa Gateway City focuses on the most, and I believe that this could be our strength.

In addition to the convention, conference, hotel, and other MICE facilities available at the venue, the city will also work with offices, residential facilities, cultural and creative facilities, and public spaces. It includes train stations, parks, plazas, Takanawa Gateway City residents, local residents, and businesses that have established relationships with the city through community development, schools, and other organizations. We are aiming to incorporate more community-oriented programs into MICE events in cooperation with local residents, businesses, schools, etc.

Nishimura:
It would be nice to have a program where we can discuss how to solve local problems with convention participants from other countries or have exchange programs with students.

Interaction with local people could be a great attraction, If the organizer wants to do something that cannot be done online, or wants to do it locally.

What can be done as we are "the rare in the world"

Amanai:
In addition to the above, the entire city can be involved in the local community and the event, with this project.
In addition, we can increase the number of points of contact between the local community and events in the city as a whole. Generally, advertising in the station and the city are completely separated, but at Takanawa Gateway City, which is integrated with Ekimachi, we can design signage, exhibitions, and events for the station and the entire city, and create a mechanism to enliven the event. We believe that we can make the conference incorporate programs that are more open to public participation, rather than a conference that is happening in a place that the local community is unaware of.

Nishimura:
As with the Spatial Freedom Project and the Shinkansen office mentioned earlier, the city, station, rail network, services, group companies, and various other assets make it possible to develop MICE out of the facility, don't they?

Amanai:
That's right. For example, if we can create an environment in which a single Suica card can be used for all services (payment) in town or on the road, it will not only enable seamless travel by issuing Suica cards for conference participants but will also allow the conference organizers to report back on what kind of activities the conference participants have engaged in. Eventually, it may be possible to return a report to the organizer.

This is a "uniqueness" to JR East that is not easily achieved in other urban development projects. We can do this because JR East owns the land for the development, as you mentioned. Additionally, we are the sole owner of the land, and we are the one-stop shop for building operations.

Looking overseas, it is quite rare that a private railroad company owns both the tracks and the rolling stock. We also do not receive any government subsidies to develop a MICE facility in a green field. That is why we believe that we can realize a new form of MICE that is solely unique to JR East, a city-wide MICE that will leave something significant in the community.

"Our messages" Lead to the Future

Nishimura:
As a person who prepares materials for international conference proposals, I always feel that "a facility that is full of things to write about," is a good faculty.

It is difficult to create a facility full of potential and attraction if it only has "good looking" in a "nice location." From the event organizer's point of view, it is difficult to choose between what could be the best and the worst faculty, without knowing the true intentions of its own. With the desire to convey special messages and intentions, I feel that that is what makes a great facility where such a desire is directed toward the wider world.

Amanai:
I would like to make it a facility that is connected to the outside world and the future. We want people to not only learn something meaningful from the events, but also we want to create more connections among the people who attended the event.

For instance, we have been deepening our relationship with students from the Faculty of Tourism at Tokai University, which will be relocated to nearby Takanawa Gateway City, through regional cooperation efforts. It would be nice if the faculty could be the place for networking, and creating connections for the future. I hope that MICE can be incorporated as one of the functions for this purpose.

Nishimura:
I have been involved in the operation of MICE for some time now.
One of the most memorable conferences I was involved in organizing was the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting held in Fukuoka City. The next day, I had the opportunity to have children from a local elementary school sit at the conference tables, try simultaneous interpretation, and explain the conference to them. Later, I learned that some of the children said, "I want to be a participant in a conference like this," "I want to be an interpreter," or "I want to be involved in the backstage of a conference."

The MICE program helps people learn about a new world, and even if they do not expect it, it can lead to someone else's future. I strongly believe that this is the true significance of MICE, which in turn leads to the strong presence and competitiveness of the facility, city, and region. I hope to make such a place a reality at Takanawa Gateway City through MICE.

Interview and Edit by Takuya Wada
Photograph by Yutaro Yamaguchi
Translation by Yuka Suzuki
Content Direction by blkswn publishers Inc.

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