The tower will be used to test new lift technologies

The 173m-high (567ft) structure is called Solae and dominates the skyline of Inazawa City.

The company says it will use the tower to conduct research into high-speed elevators to serve the next generation of super-tall buildings.

The 5bn-yen ($50m;£25m) project will allow Mitsubishi to test new drives, gears, cables and other lift systems.

Super-tall buildings have become vogue again in recent years. The world's current tallest building, the Taipei 101 (508m; 1,666ft), will soon be dwarfed by towers in cities such as Dubai, Shanghai, Moscow and Chicago.

Even the traditionally low-rise London is going upwards. At London Bridge station, developers are pressing ahead with the "Shard", which at 310m (1,017ft) will be Europe's tallest skyscraper.

The Taipei 101 lifts - built by Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems - have a top speed of 17m/s (61km/h; 38mph) and are recognised as the fastest in the world. They incorporate a pressure control system that stops riders' ears from "popping", and streamlined cars that reduce the whistling noise that blights some fast lifts as they are pulled through narrow shafts.