Kitakyushu City has officially announced that it will add roofs over the goal-end stands of the Kitakyushu Stadium currently under construction to the north of JR Kokura Station. The stadium, which will be the new home of the city’s J2 soccer team Giravanz Kitakyushu, is slated to open in March 2017. The stadium was originally designed to only have a roof over the main 5,000-seat grandstands, but the City decided to add stands at the goal-ends (8,000 seats) after several citizens demanded them. The move will bring the total cost of the project up over ¥11.5 billion. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun 5/27
