US Negishi Housing Area to be Fully Returned by 2026: A New Chapter for Yokohama's Future
The full return of the US Negishi Housing Area (approximately 43 hectares), spanning Yokohama's Naka, Minami, and Isogo wards, has been decided by June 30, 2026. Both the Japanese and US governments agreed to this return at the Japan-US Joint Committee meeting. This marks a significant step towards the region's future, approximately 22 years after the return was first agreed upon in 2004, following persistent negotiations. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi posted on his social media, "Through persistent negotiations, we have taken a major step towards the future urban development of this region." Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka also welcomed the return, calling it a "historic step." The requisition began on October 16, 1947, and after nearly 80 years, the land will finally return to Japanese control. This elevated district once offered a unique, exotic landscape distinct from the surrounding Japanese areas. On social media, people who visited the residences...