Fukuoka City announced plans to build a parking lot on Chuo Wharf big enough to hold 100 large passenger buses. The lot will be ready sometime next fiscal year, and the City aims to “improve convenience” for cruise ship passengers. Last year, about 360 cruise ship passengers alighted at Chuo Wharf, but in some cases, they had to walk 500m to reach the charter buses that would take them into the city. The new lot will be built on two parcels of municipal land about 100 m from the dock. A private company has a warehouse on one of the lots but has reached an agreement with City Hall to move elsewhere and clear the land. Last year 85 foreign cruise ships stopped in Hakata, the highest number in Japan, and the City says there are already over 100 scheduled port visits for next year. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun, 9/21
