Aira, Kagoshima (Aira)

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This article is about the town in Aira District, Kagoshima. There was another town with the same English name in the same prefecture, see Aira, Kagoshima (Kimotsuki).

Aira (姶良町; -chou) is a town located in Aira District, Kagoshima, Japan. It is located west of Kajiki and north of Kagoshima.

As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 44,029 and the density of 429.47 persons per km². The total area is 102.52 km². It is accessed with the Kyūshū Expressway at interchange 26, the Aira Interchange and runs north of Aira. The interchange was first opened on December 13, 1973.

Much of Aira is mountainous. Farmlands and agrucultural lands surround the valley in which Aira is located.

Aira has a number of junior high schools, elementary schools, and kindergartens, although it has no high school.

Aira's claim to fame is a stone gate in the village of Yamada, where a shocho factory is located.

A plan to amalgamate Aira with neighbouring towns of Kajiki and Kamou was defeated in 2005.

Hisao FUKUMOTO, the mayor of Aira, was found hanged in his home on the morning of March 6, 2006, necessitating a mayoral election to be held in spring 2006.