Everything about Osaka Prefecture totally explained
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.
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.
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..
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)
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..
Cities
Thirty-three cities are located in Osaka Prefecture:
Towns and villages
These are the towns and villages in each
district.
‡ 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, 7th in the nation. Commercial sales the same year was ¥60.1 trillion.
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. 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%. 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, with is struggling artificial satellite project. Having originally started from a gathering of
Higashiosaka based SMEs, Astro-Technology SOHLA, hasn't 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), and financial support from NEDO.
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.
Culture
Museums
National Museum of Ethnology, Japan (External Link
)
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 (External Link)
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)
Parks
The Expo Memorial 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.
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 Park (Osaka city) There is The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, public hall (established in 1911,It is Neo-Renaissance architecture.), libraly (Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library : established in 1904,It is Neo-Baroque 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)
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 (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:
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 don't have any natural islands.
The first conveyor belt sushi originated here in Higashiosaka.,.Further Information
Get more info on 'Osaka Prefecture'.
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