Core cities of Japan
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Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. A core city (中核市 Chūkakushi?) is a class or category of Japanese city. It is a local administrative division created by the national government.[1] Core cities are delegated many functions normally carried out by prefectural governments, but not as many as designated cities. To become a candidate for core city status, a city must have a population greater than 300,000 and an area greater than 100 square kilometers, although special exceptions may be made by order of the cabinet for cities with populations under 300,000 but over 200,000.[2]
Application for designation is made by a city with the approval of both the city and prefectural assemblies.
Contents
History
The term "core city" was created by the first clause of Article 252, Section 22 of the Local Autonomy Law of Japan.[3]
List of core cities
As of 2012, 41 cities have been designated core cities:
| Name | Japanese | Population (2012) | Date of designation | Region | Prefecture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akita | 秋田市 | 322,224 | 1997-04-01 | Tōhoku | Akita |
| Amagasaki | 尼崎市 | 451,353 | 2009-04-01 | Kansai | Hyōgo |
| Aomori | 青森市 | 297,348 | 2006-10-01 | Tōhoku | Aomori |
| Asahikawa | 旭川市 | 351,765 | 2000-04-01 | Hokkaidō | Hokkaidō |
| Fukuyama | 福山市 | 462,144 | 1998-04-01 | Chūgoku | Hiroshima |
| Funabashi | 船橋市 | 610,492 | 2003-04-01 | Kantō | Chiba |
| Gifu | 岐阜市 | 412,718 | 1996-04-01 | Chūbu | Gifu |
| Hakodate | 函館市 | 279,056 | 2005-10-01 | Hokkaidō | Hokkaidō |
| Higashiōsaka | 東大阪市 | 508,267 | 2005-04-01 | Kansai | Osaka |
| Himeji | 姫路市 | 536,218 | 1996-04-01 | Kansai | Hyōgo |
| Iwaki | いわき市 | 332,994 | 1999-04-01 | Tōhoku | Fukushima |
| Kagoshima | 鹿児島市 | 607,257 | 1996-04-01 | Kyushu | Kagoshima |
| Kashiwa | 柏市 | 404,863 | 2008-04-01 | Kantō | Chiba |
| Kanazawa | 金沢市 | 462,796 | 1996-04-01 | Chūbu | Ishikawa |
| Kawagoe | 川越市 | 345,361 | 2003-04-01 | Kantō | Saitama |
| Kōchi | 高知市 | 342,568 | 1998-04-01 | Shikoku | Kōchi |
| Kōriyama | 郡山市 | 331,140 | 1997-04-01 | Tōhoku | Fukushima |
| Kurashiki | 倉敷市 | 477,086 | 2002-04-01 | Chūgoku | Okayama |
| Kurume | 久留米市 | 301,821 | 2008-04-01 | Kyushu | Fukuoka |
| Maebashi | 前橋市 | 338,481 | 2009-04-01 | Kantō | Gunma |
| Matsuyama | 松山市 | 516,823 | 2000-04-01 | Shikoku | Ehime |
| Miyazaki | 宮崎市 | 402,289 | 1998-04-01 | Kyushu | Miyazaki |
| Morioka | 盛岡市 | 299,734 | 2008-04-01 | Tōhoku | Iwate |
| Naha | 那覇市 | 321,695 | 2013-04-01 | Kyushu | Okinawa |
| Nagano | 長野市 | 380,581 | 1999-04-01 | Chūbu | Nagano |
| Nagasaki | 長崎市 | 440,911 | 1997-04-01 | Kyushu | Nagasaki |
| Nara | 奈良市 | 365,421 | 2002-04-01 | Kansai | Nara |
| Nishinomiya | 西宮市 | 483,878 | 2008-04-01 | Kansai | Hyōgo |
| Ōita | 大分市 | 476,008 | 1997-04-01 | Kyushu | Ōita |
| Okazaki | 岡崎市 | 374,085 | 2003-04-01 | Chūbu | Aichi |
| Ōtsu | 大津市 | 339,469 | 2009-04-01 | Kansai | Shiga |
| Shimonoseki | 下関市 | 277,937 | 2005-10-01 | Chūgoku | Yamaguchi |
| Takamatsu | 高松市 | 420,356 | 1999-04-01 | Shikoku | Kagawa |
| Takasaki | 高崎市 | 371,820 | 2011-04-01 | Kantō | Gunma |
| Takatsuki | 高槻市 | 355,840 | 2003-04-01 | Kansai | Osaka |
| Toyama | 富山市 | 421,393 | 2005-04-01 | Chūbu | Toyama |
| Toyohashi | 豊橋市 | 375,804 | 1999-04-01 | Chūbu | Aichi |
| Toyonaka | 豊中市 | 390,457 | 2012-04-01 | Kansai | Osaka |
| Toyota | 豊田市 | 420,680 | 1998-04-01 | Chūbu | Aichi |
| Utsunomiya | 宇都宮市 | 513,722 | 1996-04-01 | Kantō | Tochigi |
| Wakayama | 和歌山市 | 368,684 | 1997-04-01 | Kansai | Wakayama |
| Yokosuka | 横須賀市 | 415,259 | 2001-04-01 | Kantō | Kanagawa |
Former core cities
| Name | Japanese | Date of designation | Date of reclassification | Region | Prefecture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamamatsu | 浜松市 | 1996-04-01 | 2007-04-01 (Designated city) | Chūbu | Shizuoka |
| Kumamoto | 熊本市 | 1996-04-01 | 2012-04-01 (Designated city) | Kyushu | Kumamoto |
| Niigata | 新潟市 | 1996-04-01 | 2007-04-01 (Designated city) | Chūbu | Niigata |
| Okayama | 岡山市 | 1996-04-01 | 2009-04-01 (Designated city) | Chūgoku | Okayama |
| Sagamihara | 相模原市 | 2003-04-01 | 2010-04-01 (Designated city) | Kantō | Kanagawa |
| Sakai | 堺市 | 1996-04-01 | 2006-04-01 (Designated city) | Kansai | Osaka |
| Shizuoka | 静岡市 | 1996-04-01 | 2005-04-01 (Designated city) | Chūbu | Shizuoka |
Scheduled to become a core city
| Name | Japanese | Scheduled date | Region | Prefecture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yokkaichi | 四日市市 | Undetermined | Kansai | Mie |
| Ichinomiya | 一宮市 | Undetermined | Chūbu | Aichi |
Cities that meet the requirements but have not yet been nominated
The following cities have populations greater than 300,000 but have not yet been nominated. (Cities planning to apply for core city status are not shown. ※Special Cities)
Cities that do not meet the requirements but are planning to nominate
Nagaoka, Niigata - Seeking merger with Ojiya and Mitsuke.- 22px Sasebo, Nagasaki - Seeking merger with Kitamatsuura and Higashisonogi Districts.
- 22px Fukui, Fukui - Was scheduled to merge with 4 municipalities but the city of Sabae withdrew from the conference and thus failed to reach the requisite of 300,000 people.
See also
References
- ↑ Web-Japan.org, "Local self-government," p. 3; retrieved 2012-11-28.
- ↑ http://nippon.zaidan.info/seikabutsu/1999/00168/contents/145.htm
- ↑ http://nippon.zaidan.info/seikabutsu/1999/00168/contents/143.htm
External links
- "Japan's Evolving Nested Municipal Hierarchy: The Race for Local Power in the 2000s," by A.J. Jacobs at Urban Studies Research, Vol. 2011 (2011); doi:10.1155/2011/692764
- "Large City System of Japan"; graphic shows core cities compared with other Japanese city types at p. 1 [PDF 7 of 40]
- "Growth in Second Tier Cities - Urban Policy Lessons from Japan" briefing by CLAIR London on classes of Japanese cities (PDF)
