Takanawa Gateway Station opened its doors to the public on Saturday, becoming the latest addition to Tokyo's Yamanote and Keihin Tohoku lines and marking a major milestone in a decadeslong project to transform a large part of the Shinagawa district into a global transportation and business hub.

The new station, located in Minato Ward between Shinagawa and Tamachi, is the 47th station to open on the Keihin Tohoku Line and the 30th on the Yamanote Line. East Japan Railway Co. initially expects 23,000 daily passengers, with that figure growing to 123,000 by 2024. It is the first station to be added to the heavily used Yamanote loop since Nishi-Nippori in 1971.

"It's a beautiful station with its big windows and modern roofing," Taka Nakamura, the station's inaugural stationmaster, said Saturday. "As the development of Shinagawa continues, from these windows people will be able to see the city changing."