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UN/LOCODE JPTYO · Japan · IMO-designated crew-change hub
Tokyo is one of 115 ports named in IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1636 as a designated crew-change hub. Ports made the list on the basis of accessible international airports, established agent networks, welfare-centre infrastructure, and — during the pandemic — visa-facilitation frameworks that allowed sign-on and sign-off crew to transit without lengthy quarantine. That combination continues to make these ports the practical corridors most seafarers move through today.
Nearest major airport for crew changes is Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND), roughly 15 km from the port. Confirm the exact terminal handover point with the ship's agent — many hubs have multiple terminals with different immigration processes.
Tokyo is Japan's busiest port complex (Tokyo Bay covers multiple terminals: Oi Container Terminal, Aomi, Shinagawa, Tokyo International Cruise Terminal). Shore leave is granted under the standard Japanese port-call procedure. Welfare provision is shared between several Mission to Seafarers, Stella Maris, and Japan-specific welfare orgs across the bay. Crew-change logistics are more complex than at Yokohama because the bay is larger.