For decades, East Japan Railway (JR East) helped shape how people moved through Tokyo. Now, the company is trying to shape where they spend their time once they arrive.

The railway operator is repositioning itself as an urban developer through the massive redevelopment of the ¡°Greater Shinagawa Area¡± in southern Tokyo, spanning five stations: Oimachi, Shinagawa, Takanawa Gateway, Tamachi and Hamamatsucho.

The grand openings of Takanawa Gateway City and Oimachi Tracks in March ¡ª projects with price tags totaling more than ?700 billion ($4.4 billion) ¡ª highlight the scale of the company¡¯s ambitions.??