New 634m-high Tokyo Tower set to open in 2011

The Tobu Railway and NHK are constructing a new broadcasting tower in the Narihirabashi/Oshiage area of Sumida ward, s stone's throw away east of Asakusa. The Tokyo Sky Tree, as it is known, will dominate the cityscape of eastern Tokyo from the top of its 634 meters (2,080 feet) - nearly twice the height of the Tokyo Tower or Eiffel Tower. It has already become Japan's tallest structure as of 29th March 2010. Upon completion it will be none else than the world's tallest broadcasting tower, and the world's second tallest structure after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

The metropolis had beaten another, more modest record in 2007 with the opening of Tokyo Midtown in Akasaka. It was the first building to surpass Shinjuku's iconic Tochō in height since its completion 16 years ago. Midtown only ranks as the 4th highest building nationwide though.

And I thought that the Japanese were done with trying to beat meaningless records like this... Apparently not. What's the point building a tower so high when everything already works fine with the present infrastructure ? Did they need tourists in Oshiage ? (never heard of it before)