The market was closed last October, and its functions transferred to a new market in the Toyosu district, also in Tokyo. It is now being dismantled. The roughly 23-hectare-wide space is scheduled to serve as a transport hub during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
Sources close to the matter say that after the 2020 Games, the metropolitan government plans to redevelop the site into a large-scale facility that can host conferences and exhibitions.
This is in line with Tokyo's goal of boosting its international competitiveness as a destination for tourists and businesspeople.
The metropolitan government also plans to attract luxury hotels. It is also considering opening other facilities to take advantage of the proximity to the Ginza shopping district, Hama Rikyu Gardens and the Sumida River.
To help the redevelopment, the metropolitan government is considering leasing the land it owns to private entities.
It plans to release a rough redevelopment plan later this month. It then hopes to compile an official plan by the end of March, after inviting public opinions about the draft.
Japan on Friday stepped up its claim to a pair of South Korea-controlled islets, amid escalating tensions with its neighbor resulting from disputes over wartime issues. (Japan Times) 
Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito marks his 59th birthday on Saturday. He will ascend to the throne on May 1st, one day after his father, Emperor Akihito, abdicates.
(NHK) 
All Nippon Airways said Friday it was forced to delay a domestic flight earlier this week after a co-pilot failed an alcohol breath test despite new rules. (Japan Today) 
Elin McCready, a transgender woman, has been married for 19 years, but registering her female identity and name has thrown her union into jeopardy because Japan doesn't recognize gay marriage. (Japan Today) 
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, says data from the Hayabusa2 space probe shows it had landed on the asteroid Ryugu. The spacecraft's task is to collect rock samples.
(NHK) 
A mother and her boyfriend were arrested Thursday for allegedly injuring the woman's 8-year-old daughter by binding her wrists and forcing her into a cold bath at their home in Fukuoka Prefecture last month, police said. (Japan Times) 
Authorities in Hokkaido have opened shelters for people left stranded on trains or out in the bitter cold following the strong earthquake on Thursday.
(NHK) 
Kanagawa Prefectural Police arrested a 56-year-old man after he was found wielding scissors inside a Tokaido Shinkansen train on Wednesday, reports NHK (tokyoreporter.com) 
Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Thursday arrested two former employees of a hostess club in Edogawa Ward for allegedly dumping the corpse of a man who died after excessive drinking, reports the Sankei Shimbun (tokyoreporter.com) 
With seven months until the opening of the Rugby World Cup, organizing committee CEO Akira Shimazu said Thursday the number of foreign fans at the quadrennial tournament has far "exceeded his expectations." (Japan Today)