Osaka Prefecture Explained

Settlement Type:Prefecture
Translit Lang1:Japanese
Translit Lang1 Type:Japanese
Translit Lang1 Info:Japanese: 大阪府
Translit Lang1 Type1:Rōmaji
Translit Lang1 Info1:Japanese: Ōsaka-fu
Flag Size:100px
Image Blank Emblem:Emblem of Osaka Prefecture.svg
Blank Emblem Size:80px
Blank Emblem Type:Symbol
Image Map1:Map of Japan with highlight on 27 Osaka prefecture.svg
Coordinates:34.6864°N 135.52°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Japan
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Kansai
Subdivision Type2:Island
Subdivision Name2:Honshu
Seat Type:Capital
Seat:Osaka
Parts Type:Subdivisions
Parts Style:para
P1:Districts

5

P2:Municipalities

43

Leader Title:Governor
Leader Name:Hirofumi Yoshimura
Area Total Km2:1905.14
Area Water Percent:17.9
Area Rank:46th
Population Total:8823358
Population As Of:1 July 2019
Population Rank:3rd
Population Density Km2:auto
Demographics Type2:GDP
Demographics2 Footnotes:[1]
Demographics2 Title1:Total
Demographics2 Info1:JP¥ 41,188 billion
US$ 377.9 billion (2019)
Iso Code:JP-27
Module:
Embedded:yes
Country:Japan
Bird:Bull-headed shrike (Lanius bucephalus)
Flower:Japanese apricot (Prunus mume)
Primrose (Primula sieboldii)
Tree:Ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba)

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu.[2] Osaka Prefecture has a population of 8,778,035 and has a geographic area of 1905km2. Osaka Prefecture borders Hyōgo Prefecture to the northwest, Kyoto Prefecture to the north, Nara Prefecture to the southeast, and Wakayama Prefecture to the south.

Osaka is the capital and largest city of Osaka Prefecture, and the third-largest city in Japan, with other major cities including Sakai, Higashiōsaka, and Hirakata.[3] Osaka Prefecture is located on the western coast of the Kii Peninsula, forming the western is open to Osaka Bay. Osaka Prefecture is the third-most-populous prefecture, but by geographic area the second-smallest; at it is the second-most densely populated, below only Tokyo. Osaka Prefecture is one of Japan's two "urban prefectures" using the designation fu (府) rather than the standard ken for prefectures, along with Kyoto Prefecture. Osaka Prefecture forms the center of the Keihanshin metropolitan area, the second-most-populated urban region in Japan after the Greater Tokyo area and one of the world's most productive regions by GDP.

History

See also: Historic Sites of Osaka Prefecture.

Prior to the Meiji Restoration, the modern-day area of Osaka Prefecture was split between Kawachi, Izumi,[4] [5] and Settsu provinces.[6]

Osaka Prefecture was created on June 21, 1868, at the very beginning of the Meiji era.[7] During the instigation of Fuhanken Sanchisei in 1868, the prefecture received its suffix fu, designating it as a prefecture.

On September 1, 1956, the city of Osaka was promoted to a city designated by government ordinance and thereby divided into 24 wards. Sakai became the second city in the prefecture to be promoted to a city designated by government ordinance on April 1, 2006, and was divided into seven wards.

In 2000, Fusae Ota became Japan's first female governor when she replaced Knock Yokoyama, who resigned after prosecution for sexual harassment.[8] Tōru Hashimoto, previously famous as a counselor on television, was elected in 2008 at the age of 38, becoming the youngest governor in Japan.[9]

On June 18, 2018, an earthquake struck the northern region of the prefecture. It killed 4 people and caused minor damage across Greater Osaka.[10]

Proposed reorganisation

See main article: Osaka Metropolis plan.

In 2010, the Osaka Restoration Association was created with backing by Governor Tōru Hashimoto, with hopes of reforming Osaka Prefecture into the Osaka Metropolis and merging with the City of Osaka.[9] In the 2011 local elections, the association was able to win the majority of the prefectural seats and Hashimoto was elected as mayor of Osaka.

A referendum on the issue was held in 2015 and was defeated with 50.38% of voters opposed to the plan.[9] A second referendum in 2020 was rejected by 50.6% of voters.[11]

Geography

Osaka Prefecture neighbors the prefectures of Hyōgo and Kyoto in the north, Nara in the east and Wakayama in the south. 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.[12] [13]

As of 1 April 2012, 11% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely Kongō-Ikoma-Kisen and Meiji no Mori Minō Quasi-National Parks and Hokusetsu and Hannan-Misaki Prefectural Natural Parks.[14]

Municipalities

See also: List of cities in Osaka Prefecture by population.

Since 2005, Osaka consists of 43 municipalities: 33 cities, nine towns and one village. As of 2021, the 33 cities include two designated major cities, seven core cities and two (transitional) special case cities (after legal abolition in 2015, to be replaced with the core city system in the 2020s).

Flag, name w/o suffixFull nameDistrict
(-gun)
Area (km2)PopulationMapLPE code
(w/o pref. [27...],
checksum [-x])
Japanese transcription translation
Daitō大東市 Daitō-shi Daitō City 18.27119,329218
Fujidera藤井寺市 Fujidera-shi Fujidera City 8.8965,075226
Habikino羽曳野市 Habikino-shi Habikino City 26.44113,256222
Hannan阪南市 Hannan-shi Hannan City 36.155,798232
Higashiōsaka東大阪市 Higashi-Ōsaka-shi Higashi-Osaka City
(East Osaka City)
61.78495,011227
Hirakata枚方市 Hirakata-shi Hirakata City 65.08401,449210
Ibaraki茨木市 Ibaraki-shi Ibaraki City 76.52280,562211
Ikeda池田市 Ikeda-shi Ikeda City 22.09103,028204
Izumi和泉市 Izumi-shi Izumi City 84.98186,370219
Izumiōtsu泉大津市 Izumi-Ōtsu-shi Izumi-Ōtsu City
(as opposed to Ōtsu City in Ōmi Province)
13.3675,398206
Izumisano泉佐野市 Izumi-Sano-shi Izumi-Sano City
(as opposed to Sano City in Shimotsuke Province)
55.03 100,649213
Kadoma門真市 Kadoma-shi Kadoma City 12.28124,516223
Kaizuka貝塚市 Kaizuka-shi Kaizuka City 43.9988,345208
Kashiwara柏原市 Kashiwara-shi Kashiwara City 25.3976,383221
Katano交野市 Katano-shi Katano City 25.5576,383230
Kawachinagano河内長野市 Kawachi-Nagano-shi Kawachi-Nagano City
(as opposed to Nagano City in Shinano Province)
109.61105,872216
Kishiwada岸和田市 Kishiwada-shi Kishiwada City 72.68197,629202
Matsubara松原市 Matsubarashi Matsubara City 16.66121,125217
Minoh箕面市 Minoo-shi Minoo City 47.84134,435220
Moriguchi守口市 Moriguchi-shi Moriguchi City 12.73143,877209
Neyagawa寝屋川市 Neyagawa-shi Neyagawa City 24.73236,758215
Osaka (capital)大阪市 Ōsaka-shi Osaka City 225.212,668,586100
Ōsakasayama大阪狭山市 Ōsaka-Sayama-shi Osaka-Sayama City
(as opposed to Sayama City in Saitama)
11.8657,993231
Sakai堺市 Sakai-shi Sakai City 149.82828,741140
Sennan泉南市 Sennan-shi Sennan City
(Sen[shū] South City)
(after Sennan District)
48.4862,076228
Settsu摂津市 Settsu-shi Settsu City 14.8885,290224
Shijōnawate四條畷市 Shijōnawate-shi Shijōnawate City 18.7455,832229
Suita吹田市 Suita-shi Suita City 36.11378,322205
Takaishi高石市 Takaishi-shi Takaishi City 11.3556,583225
Takatsuki高槻市 Takatsuki-shi Takatsuki City 105.31350,914207
Tondabayashi富田林市 Tondabayashi-shi Tondabayashi City 39.66112,993214
Toyonaka豊中市 Toyonaka-shi Toyonaka City 36.38396,014203
Yao八尾市 Yaoshi Yao City 41.71268,013212
Chihayaakasaka千早赤阪村 Chihaya-Akasaka-mura Chihaya-Akasaka VillageMinami- (=South) Kawachi37.385,467383
Kanan河南町 Kanan-chō Kanan Town25.2616,027382
Taishi太子町 Taishi-chō Taishi Town14.17 13,634381
Kumatori熊取町 Kumatori-chō Kumatori TownSennan (=Sen[shū] South)17.2343,988361
Misaki岬町 Misakichō Misaki Town49.0816,267366
Tajiri田尻町 Tajiri-chō Tajiri Town4.968,377362
Nose能勢町 Nose-chō Nose TownToyono98.689,971322
Toyono豊能町 Toyono-chō Toyono Town34.3719,519321
Shimamoto島本町 Shimamoto-chō Shimamoto TownMishima16.7829,970301
Tadaoka忠岡町 Tadaoka-chō Tadaoka TownSenboku (=Sen[shū] North)4.0317,187341
Osaka大阪府 Ōsaka-fu Osaka Prefecture 1,905.14 8,823,358000
ISO: JP-27

Mergers

See main article: List of mergers in Osaka Prefecture. After the modern reactivation of districts in 1878/79, Osaka, including Sakai which was only merged into Osaka in 1881, consisted of 5 urban districts (-ku) and 27 rural districts (-gun), excluding 15 districts in Yamato Province which was later separated from Osaka as Nara Prefecture in 1887. When the prefectures were subdivided into modern municipalities in 1889, the five urban districts were turned into two district-independent cities: Osaka City and Sakai City, and Osaka's [rural] districts were subdivided into 12 towns and 310 villages. After Osaka City had absorbed many surrounding municipalities in the interwar/Taishō period, the number of municipalities in Osaka had already dropped to 149 by 1953. The Great Shōwa mergers of the 1950s reduced the total to 47 by 1961, including 26 cities by then. The current total of 43 was reached during the Great Heisei mergers in 2005.

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.[15] Commercial sales the same year was ¥60.1 trillion.[16]

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.[17] 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%.[18] One model from Osaka of serving the public interest and restimulating the regional economy, combined with industry-education cooperation efforts, is the Astro-Technology SOHLA,[19] with its artificial satellite project.[20] 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 support from the government, through technology and material support from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA),[21] and financial support from NEDO.[22] [23]

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 factories and research institutes

See main article: Hanshin Industrial Region and Kansai Science City.

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.[24]

As of 2022 this prefecture has about 93,000 ethnic Korean persons, the largest such population of any prefecture in Japan.[25] Osaka City. As of 2013 most ethnic Korean children attend ordinary Japanese public schools, although some Korean schools operated by the Chongryon and classes for ethnic Koreans had opened in the prefecture. During the Japanese rule of Korea many ethnic Koreans came to the Osaka area to look for work. Many people from Jeju came to the Osaka area after a 1922 ferry line between Osaka and Jeju opened. During World War II Japanese authorities forced additional ethnic Koreans to move to the Osaka area.[26]

Temples and shrines

Museums

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.

Universities

Parks

Transportation

Rail

People movers

Road

Expressways

National highways

Airports

Sister regions

Osaka Prefecture has sister region relationships with:[28]

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Osaka.

Football (soccer)

League

Baseball

Basketball

Volleyball

Rugby union

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.

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020年度国民経済計算(2015年基準・2008SNA) : 経済社会総合研究所 - 内閣府 . 2023-05-18 . 内閣府ホームページ . ja.
  2. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Osaka-fu" in ; "Kansai" in
  3. Nussbaum, "Osaka" in
  4. Web site: 岸和田城跡. 大阪府教育委員会. 2002-03-29. Comprehensive Database of Archaeological Site Reports in Japan. 2016-09-02.
  5. Web site: 海会寺. 泉南市教育委員会. 1987-09-21. Comprehensive Database of Archaeological Site Reports in Japan. 2016-09-02.
  6. Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in
  7. Web site: 大阪のあゆみ (History of Osaka). ja. 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.
  8. Tolbert, Kathryn. "Election of First Female Governor Boosts Japan's Ruling Party", The Washington Post, February 8, 2000.
  9. News: Harding . Robin . June 11, 2018 . Battle to remodel Osaka is legacy of Japan's Trump . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/1d7c89e4-5dec-11e8-ab47-8fd33f423c09 . 2022-12-10 . subscription . . October 5, 2021.
  10. News: Kaneko . Kaori . Foster . Malcolm . June 18, 2018 . Magnitude 6.1 quake in Japan's Osaka area kills four, halts factories . . October 5, 2021.
  11. News: Johnston . Eric . November 2, 2020 . Osaka referendum defeat raises questions about future of city's politics . The Japan Times . registration . October 5, 2021.
  12. http://www.gsi.go.jp/WNEW/PRESS-RELEASE/1999/0129.htm "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)"
  13. http://www.alpsmap.co.jp/column/column017.html "コラム Vol.017 全国都道府県市区町村面積調 (Column: "National Area Investigation" vol.017)"
  14. Web site: General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture . . 9 August 2012.
  15. Web site: 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. ja. 2007-03-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070614232333/http://www.esri.cao.go.jp/jp/sna/kenmin/h16/kenmin1.pdf . 2007-06-14.
  16. Web site: 大阪府民経済計算 (Osaka Prefectural Economy based on 93SNA) Osaka Prefectural Government. ja. 2007-03-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070614232402/http://www.pref.osaka.jp/aid/naniwa/naniwa2007/n2007-2-5.pdf . 2007-06-14.
  17. Web site: 2006 White Paper on Small and Medium Enterprises in Japan, Japan Small Business Research Institute (Japan). 2007-03-13. 2007-03-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20070323003306/http://www.chusho.meti.go.jp/pamflet/hakusyo/h18/download/2006hakusho_eng.pdf. dead.
  18. Web site: なにわの経済データ (The Naniwa Economy Data). ja. 2007-03-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070614232332/http://www.pref.osaka.jp/aid/naniwa/naniwa2007/n2007-2-3.pdf . 2007-06-14.
  19. Web site: Astro-Technology SOHLA. ja. 2007-03-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20070309013816/http://www.sohla.com/index.php. 2007-03-09. dead.
  20. Web site: Japan Advertising Council . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070301034145/http://www.ad-c.or.jp/eng/index.html . 2007-03-01 . 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) http://www.ad-c.or.jp/campaign/work/2003/index.html
  21. Web site: "Smaller firms build a satellite" City of Osaka, Chicago Office. 2007-03-14. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070929124433/http://www.osakacity.org/news/newsItem.aspx?news=244. 2007-09-29.
  22. The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization
  23. Web site: "Study of PETSAT" NEDO, 2005. ja, en. 2007-03-14. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070614232331/http://www.nedo.go.jp/kibanbu/saitaku/15h/houkokusho/16higasiosaka.pdf. 2007-06-14.
  24. Web site: Table 1: 大阪府の人口の推移 (Population Change of Osaka Prefecture) . Osaka Prefectural Government . ja . 2007-03-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070105142219/http://www.pref.osaka.jp/toukei/kokucho/gaiyou1.html . 2007-01-05.
  25. Web site: 大阪府の国籍・地域(出身地)別 在留外国人数 . 2024-07-14.
  26. Aoki, Eriko. "Korean children, textbooks, and educational practices in Japanese primary schools" (Chapter 8). In: Ryang, Sonia. (Routledge Studies in Asia's Transformations). Routledge, October 8, 2013., 9781136353055. Start: p. 157. CITED: p. 166.
  27. http://www.expo90.jp/english/index.html 財団法人 国際花と緑の博覧会記念協会:English:Expo'90 Foundation
  28. Web site: Osaka's sister regions . www.pref.osaka.lg.jp . 2023-08-07 . ja.