Osaka Prefecture

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Osaka Prefecture (大阪府 Ōsaka-fu)
Map of Japan with Osaka highlighted
Capital Osaka (city)
Region Kinki
Island Honshū
Governor Tōru Hashimoto
Area (rank) 1,892.86 km² (46th)
 - % water 17.9%
Population  (September 1, 2007)
 - Population 8,829,148 (3rd)
 - Density 4,664 /km²
Districts 5
Municipalities 43
ISO 3166-2 JP-27
Website www.pref.osaka.jp/en/
Prefectural Symbols
 - Flower Primrose (Primula sieboldii)
 - Tree Ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba)
 - Bird Bull-headed shrike (Lanius bucephalus)
Symbol of Osaka Prefecture
Symbol of Osaka Prefecture

Osaka Prefecture (大阪府 Ōsaka-fu?) is a prefecture located in the Kinki region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.

Contents

[edit] History

For the history of Osaka prior to Meiji Restoration, see Osaka.

Osaka Prefecture was created in 1868, at the very beginning of Meiji era.[1]

On September 1, 1956, the city of Osaka was promoted to a city designated by government ordinance and thereby divided into 24 wards.

In 2000, Fusae Ota (太田 房江), was the first female to become a governor in Japan, replacing the former Knock Yokoyama, who resigned after having been prosecuted for sexual harassment.[2].

On April 1, 2006: the city of Sakai was promoted to a city designated by government ordinance and thereby divided into 7 wards.

In 2008, Toru Hashimoto (橋下 徹), who was famous as counselor on TV, was elected as the youngest governor in Japan (age:38)

[edit] Geography

Osaka Prefecture neighbors the prefectures of Hyōgo and Kyoto in the north, Nara in the east and Wakayama in the south. The west is open to Osaka Bay. The Yodo and Yamato Rivers flow through the prefecture.

Osaka used to be the smallest prefecture prior to the construction of Kansai International Airport. The artificial island on which the airport was built added enough area to make it the second-smallest after Kagawa prefecture.[3][4].

[edit] Cities

Map of Osaka Prefecture.
Map of Osaka Prefecture.
Osaka Pref. Head Office
Osaka Pref. Head Office

Thirty-three cities are located in Osaka Prefecture:

[edit] Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district.

‡ Scheduled to be dissolved due to mergers

[edit] Mergers

[edit] Economy

Diamond district in Umeda
Diamond district in Umeda
Herbis ENT
Herbis ENT
Osaka castle Reproduction Tower
Osaka castle Reproduction Tower
Osaka Castle park and Osaka business park
Osaka Castle park and Osaka business park
Famous advertisement by Glico man in Dōtonbori (middle-left)
Famous advertisement by Glico man in Dōtonbori (middle-left)

The gross prefecture product of Osaka for the fiscal year 2004 was ¥38.7 trillion, second after Tokyo with an increase of 0.9% from the previous year. This represented approximately 48% of the Kinki region. The per capita income was ¥3.0 million, 7th in the nation.[5] Commercial sales the same year was ¥60.1 trillion.[6]

Overshadowed by such globally renowned electronics giants as Matsushita and Sharp, the other side of Osaka's economy can be characterized by its Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) activities. The number of SMEs based in Osaka in 2006 were 330,737, accounting for 99.6% of total number of businesses in the prefecture.[7] While this proportion is similar to other prefectures (nationwide average was 99.7%), the manufacturing shipment from the SMEs amounted to 65.4% of the total within the prefecture, a significantly higher rate compared to Tokyo's 55.5%, or Kanagawa's 38.4%.[8] One of the popularly highlighted model from Osaka serving the public interest of re-stimulting regional economy, combined with industry-education cooperation efforts is the Astro-Technology SOHLA,[9] with is struggling artificial satellite project.[10] Having originally started from a gathering of Higashiosaka based SMEs, Astro-Technology SOHLA, has not only grown into a Kansai region- wide group but has also won the support from the government, through technology and material support from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)[11], and financial support from NEDO[12][13].

The Osaka Securities Exchange, specializing in derivatives such as Nikkei 225 Futures, is based in Osaka.

There are many electrical, chemical,pharmaceutical, heavy industry, food, and housing companies in Osaka Prefecture.

[edit] Major companies

[edit] Major factories and research institutes

[edit] Demographics

According to the 2005 Population Census of Japan, Osaka prefecture has a population of 8,817,166, an increase of 12,085, or 0.14%, since the Census of year 2000.[14]

[edit] Culture

[edit] Museums

[edit] Universities in Osaka Prefecture

[edit] Parks

  • Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park (Osaka city) About 100 ha.It was held Expo '90 of horticulture.[15]

[edit] Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Osaka.

[edit] Football (soccer)

[edit] Baseball

[edit] Basketball

[edit] Volleyball

[edit] Transportation

Osaka Prefecture has three airports (Kansai International Airport, Osaka International Airport, and Yao Airport).

For more information about the railroad system, see Category:Rail transport in Osaka Prefecture (Osaka mass transit ).

[edit] Education

Public elementary and junior high schools in the prefecture are operated by the municipalities. Public high schools are operated by the Osaka Prefectural Board of Education.

[edit] Friendship relationships

Osaka Prefecture has sister-city type relationships with these eight locations:[16]

[edit] Prefectural symbols

The symbol of Osaka Prefecture, called the sennari byōtan or "thousand gourds," was originally the crest of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the feudal lord of Osaka Castle.

[edit] Miscellanea

  • Osaka and Akita are the only unlandlocked prefectures that do not have any natural islands.
  • The first conveyor belt sushi originated here in Higashiosaka.,[17].

[edit] References

  1. ^ 大阪のあゆみ (History of Osaka) (Japanese). Retrieved on 2007-03-12.The creation of Osaka prefecture took place slight earlier than many other prefectures, that had to wait for abolition of the han system in 1871.
  2. ^ Tolbert, Kathryn. "Election of First Female Governor Boosts Japan's Ruling Party", The Washington Post, February 8, 2000.
  3. ^ "平成10年全国都道府県市区町村の面積の公表について(Official announcement on the national territory and area of 1998, by prefectures, cities, districts, towns and villages)", Geographical Survey Institute, Government of Japan, January 29, 1999.
  4. ^ "コラム Vol.017 全国都道府県市区町村面積調 (Column: "National Area Investigation" vol.017)", Alps Mapping K.K., March 8, 2001.
  5. ^ 平成16年度の県民経済計算について (Prefectural Economy for the fiscal year 2004 based on 93SNA) Cabinet Office, Government of Japan (Japanese). Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
  6. ^ 大阪府民経済計算 (Osaka Prefectural Economy based on 93SNA) Osaka Prefectural Government (Japanese). Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
  7. ^ 2006 White Paper on Small and Medium Enterprises in Japan, Japan Small Business Research Institute (Japan) (English). Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
  8. ^ なにわの経済データ (The Naniwa Economy Data) (Japanese). Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
  9. ^ Astro-Technology SOHLA (Japanese). Retrieved on 2007-03-14.
  10. ^ Japan Advertising Council (English). Retrieved on 2007-03-14. For details on the campaign featuring SOHLA, navigate through the Japanese page to the 2003 campaign listing, at entry "東大阪の人工衛星" (Higashiosaka's Satellite) [1]
  11. ^ "Smaller firms build a satellite" City of Osaka, Chicago Office (English). Retrieved on 2007-03-14.
  12. ^ The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization
  13. ^ "Study of PETSAT" NEDO, 2005 (Japanese with English abstract). Retrieved on 2007-03-14.
  14. ^ Table 1: 大阪府の人口の推移 ( Population Change of Osaka Prefecture) (Japanese). Osaka Prefectural Government. Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
  15. ^ 財団法人 国際花と緑の博覧会記念協会:English:Expo'90 Foundation
  16. ^ Osaka's friendships regions/states and Overseas Offices
  17. ^ introduction (japanese), retrieved March 14, 2007

[edit] External links

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Shadow picture of Osaka Prefecture Osaka Prefecture
Flag of Osaka Prefecture
Cities
Daitō | Fujiidera | Habikino | Hannan | Higashiōsaka | Hirakata | Ibaraki | Ikeda | Izumi | Izumiotsu | Izumisano | Kadoma | Kaizuka | Kashiwara | Katano | Kawachinagano | Kishiwada | Matsubara | Minoh | Moriguchi | Neyagawa | Osaka (capital) | Ōsakasayama | Sakai | Sennan | Settsu | Shijōnawate | Suita | Takaishi | Takatsuki | Tondabayashi | Toyonaka | Yao
Districts
Minamikawachi | Mishima | Senboku | Sennan | Toyono
  See also: Towns and villages by district edit

Coordinates: 34°40′N, 135°32′E