Osaka Prefecture
| Osaka Prefecture | |||||||||
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| Capital | Osaka | ||||||||
| Region | Kansai | ||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||
| - Fish | {{{Fish}}} | ||||||||
 Symbol of Osaka Prefecture |
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| Template ■ Discussion ■ WikiProject Japan | |||||||||
Osaka Prefecture (大阪府 Ōsaka-fu) is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.
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History
For the history of Osaka prior to Meiji Restoration, see Osaka.
Osaka Prefecture was created in 1868, at the very beginning of the 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) became Japan's first female governor when she replaced Knock Yokoyama, who resigned after prosecution 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 seven wards.
In 2008, Toru Hashimoto (橋下 徹), previously famous as a counselor on television, was elected at age 38 as the youngest governor in Japan.
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.
Prior to the construction of Kansai International Airport, Osaka was the smallest prefecture in Japan. The artificial island on which the airport was built added enough area to make it slightly larger than Kagawa Prefecture.[3][4].
Cities
Thirty-three cities are located in Osaka Prefecture:
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Towns and villages
These are the towns and villages in each district.
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‡ Scheduled to be dissolved due to mergers
Mergers
Economy
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, seventh in the nation.[5] Commercial sales the same year was ¥60.1 trillion.[6]
Overshadowed by such globally renowned electronics giants as Panasonic 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 was 330,737, accounting for 99.6% of the total number of businesses in the prefecture.[7] While this proportion is similar to other prefectures (the average nationwide was 99.7%), the manufactured output of the SMEs amounted to 65.4% of the total within the prefecture, a rate significantly higher than Tokyo's 55.5%, or Kanagawa's 38.4%.[8] One model from Osaka of serving the public interest and restimulting the 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.
Major companies
Major factories and research institutes
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]
Culture
Museums
- National Museum of Ethnology, Japan [2]
- Open-Air Museum of Old Japanese Farm Houses (Hattori Ryokuchi Park)
- OSTEC (Osaka Science and Technology Center) Exhibition Hall
- The Japan Folk Crafts Museum, Osaka [3]
Universities in Osaka Prefecture
- Kansai Medical University (Moriguchi, Osaka)
- Osaka University (Toyonaka and Suita)
- former Osaka University of Foreign Studies (Minoh)
- Osaka Kyoiku University (Kashiwara)
- Osaka City University (Osaka city)
- Osaka Prefecture University (Sakai)
- Kansai University (Suita, Takatsuki, Osaka city)
- Kinki University (Higashiosaka)
- Kansai Gaidai University (Hirakata) (Kansai University of Foreign Studies)
- Osaka International Educational University (Moriguchi)
Parks
- The Expo Commemoration Park (Suita) It was held Expo '70 here. About 260 ha.There is The Japanese garden, National Museum of Art, Osaka and an amusement park "Expoland".
- Hattori Ryokuchi Park (Toyonaka) About 150 ha.
- Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park (Osaka city) About 100 ha.It was held Expo '90 of horticulture.[15]
- Nagai Park (Osaka city) About 66 ha. It is held The World Championships in Athletics games in 2007 at Nagai Stadium in this park.
- Osaka Castle Park (Osaka city) About 106 ha.
- Nakanoshima Park (Osaka city) - The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, public hall (1911, Renaissance Revival architecture), Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library (1904, Baroque Revival architecture), and the city hall of Osaka city. 11 ha.
Sports
The sports teams listed below are based in Osaka.
Football (soccer)
- Gamba Osaka (Suita)
- Cerezo Osaka (Osaka city)
Baseball
- Orix Buffaloes (Osaka city)
- Hanshin Tigers (Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture)
Basketball
- Osaka Evessa (Osaka city)
- Panasonic Trians (Hirakata)
Volleyball
- Osaka Blazers Sakai (Sakai)
- Suntory Sunbirds (Osaka city)
- Panasonic Panthers (Hirakata)
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 ).
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.
Friendship relationships
Osaka Prefecture has sister-city type relationships with these eight locations:[16]
Shanghai in People's Republic of China
East Java in Indonesia
Val-d'Oise in France
Queensland in Australia
the Primorsky area of Russia
California in the United States
Lombardy in Italy
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates
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.
Miscellanea
- Osaka and Akita are the only unlandlocked prefectures that do not have any natural islands.
- The first conveyor belt sushi originated in Higashiosaka in Osaka Prefecture.[17]
References
- ↑ "大阪のあゆみ (History of Osaka)" (in Japanese). http://www.pref.osaka.jp/j_intro/ayumi/ayumi1.html. Retrieved 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.
- ↑ Tolbert, Kathryn. "Election of First Female Governor Boosts Japan's Ruling Party", The Washington Post, February 8, 2000.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "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" (in Japanese). http://www.esri.cao.go.jp/jp/sna/kenmin/h16/kenmin1.pdf. Retrieved 2007-03-13.
- ↑ "大阪府民経済計算 (Osaka Prefectural Economy based on 93SNA) Osaka Prefectural Government" (in Japanese). http://www.pref.osaka.jp/aid/naniwa/naniwa2007/n2007-2-5.pdf. Retrieved 2007-03-13.
- ↑ "2006 White Paper on Small and Medium Enterprises in Japan, Japan Small Business Research Institute (Japan)". http://www.chusho.meti.go.jp/pamflet/hakusyo/h18/download/2006hakusho_eng.pdf. Retrieved 2007-03-13.
- ↑ "なにわの経済データ (The Naniwa Economy Data)" (in Japanese). http://www.pref.osaka.jp/aid/naniwa/naniwa2007/n2007-2-3.pdf. Retrieved 2007-03-13.
- ↑ "Astro-Technology SOHLA" (in Japanese). http://www.sohla.com/index.php. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
- ↑ "Japan Advertising Council". http://www.ad-c.or.jp/eng/index.html. Retrieved 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]
- ↑ ""Smaller firms build a satellite" City of Osaka, Chicago Office". http://www.osakacity.org/news/newsItem.aspx?news=244. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
- ↑ The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization
- ↑ ""Study of PETSAT" NEDO, 2005" (in Japanese with English abstract). http://www.nedo.go.jp/kibanbu/saitaku/15h/houkokusho/16higasiosaka.pdf. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
- ↑ "Table 1: 大阪府の人口の推移 ( Population Change of Osaka Prefecture)" (in Japanese). Osaka Prefectural Government. http://www.pref.osaka.jp/toukei/kokucho/gaiyou1.html. Retrieved 2007-03-13.
- ↑ 財団法人 国際花と緑の博覧会記念協会：English：Expo'90 Foundation
- ↑ Osaka's friendships regions/states and Overseas Offices
- ↑ 回転寿司！元祖 廻る元禄寿司 ！回転寿司の事始め！, retrieved March 14, 2007 (Japanese)
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Osaka Prefecture
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