Documents for "Japanese Political Geography":

• Abashiri city (1990 pop. 44,416), Hokkaido prefecture, E Hokkaido, Japan, on the Sea of Okhotsk and the Abashiri River, lying on the Abashiri plain. It is an important local port city and railroad terminus....

• Abiko city (1990 pop. 120,629), Chiba prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is an important railway junction, a resort town, and a residential suburb NE of Tokyo.

• Ageo city (1990 pop. 194,952), Saitama prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It was an agricultural center, producing raw silk and sake, until the growth of the metallurgy, machinery, and rubber...

• Aichi prefecture (1990 pop. 6,690,440), 1,962 sq mi (5,082 sq km), central Honshu, Japan. Bounded on the S and W by Ise Bay, Aichi consists of a coastal plain (the Nobi Plain) and a mountainous,...

• Aioi city (1990 pop. 36,871), Hyogo prefecture, W Honshu, Japan, on the Inland Sea and Aioi Bay. It is a major port with a good natural harbor.

• Aizuwakamatsu city (1990 pop. 119,080), Fukushima prefecture, N Honshu, Japan. It has a large semiconductor plant and continues to produce many traditional products, including lacquer and ceramic ware, sake,...

• Akashi city (1990 pop. 270,722), Hyogo prefecture, W Honshu, Japan, on the Harima Sea and the Akashi Channel. Overfishing and marine pollution have hurt what was formerly an important fishing port...

• Akita city (1990 pop. 302,362), capital of Akita prefecture, NW Honshu, Japan, on the Sea of Japan. A producer of petroleum products and chemicals, Akito city also has a large port that exports lumber...

• Ako city (1990 pop. 51,131), Hyogo prefecture, W Honshu, Japan, on the Harima Sea. Relying on its steel and chemical industries, Ako has become one of Japan's most polluted industrial cities. It is...

• Amagasaki city (1990 pop. 498,999), Hyogo prefecture, S Honshu, Japan, a port on Osaka Bay. An important industrial center, with iron and steel factories, chemical plants, and textile mills, it lies on the...

• Amagi city (1990 pop. 43,034), Fukuoka prefecture, N Kyushu, Japan. It is an agricultural center and railway terminus. Textiles are produced in the city.

• Ama-no-hashidate see Miyazu , Japan.

• Anan city (1990 pop. 59,044), Tokushima prefecture, E Shikoku, Japan, on the Kii Channel. The city was created in 1958 by the merger of Tomioka and Tachibana. An agricultural center, it also produces...

• Anjo city (1990 pop. 142,251), Aichi prefecture, S central Honshu, Japan. Once a model farm community producing rice, wheat, poultry, and cattle, Anjo is now dominated by the textile, machinery, and...

• Annaka city (1990 pop. 45,525), Gumma prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is an agricultural and tourist center, noted for its mineral springs.

• Aomori city (1990 pop. 287,808), capital of Aomori prefecture, extreme N Honshu, Japan, on Aomori Bay. First opened to foreign trade in 1906, Aomori is now the chief transportation center of N Honshu,...

• Arao city (1990 pop. 59,507), Kumamoto prefecture, W Kyushu, Japan, on Ariake Bay. It is a port and is part of the Omuta-Arao industrial region where chemicals, bricks, fertilizers, and plastics are...

• Asahikawa city (1990 pop. 359,071), W central Hokkaido, Japan, on the Ishikari River. Asahikawa is the commercial, industrial, and rail center of a great agricultural region. Brewing, wood products, and...

• Asaka city (1990 pop. 103,621), Saitama prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is an industrial and residential suburb of Tokyo. The city has an important metalworks industry and is the site of a large...

• Ashikaga city (1990 pop. 167,686), Tochigi prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. An old silk-weaving center, it is famous for its spinning and nylon textile industries. The city is also the ancestral home of...

• Ashiya city (1990 pop. 87,528), Hyogo prefecture, W central Honshu, Japan, on Osaka Bay. Known for its beauty, Ashiya is a residential and industrial suburb of Osaka. It is the site of Ashiya Univ., a...

• Atami city (1990 pop. 47,291), Shizuoka prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is a major resort, famed for its scenery and its hot springs. Atami was once the site of a geyser which, according to...

• Atsugi city (1990 pop. 197,292), Kanagawa prefecture, E central Honshu, Japan, on the Sagami River. It is an important communication, commercial, and agricultural center. It produces electric...

• Ayabe city (1990 pop. 40,595), Kyoto prefecture, W central Honshu, Japan, on the Yura River. It is an agricultural and communications center where raw silk and silk fabrics are manufactured.

• Beppu city (1990 pop. 130,334), Oita prefecture, NE Kyushu, Japan, on Beppu Bay. It is a major tourist resort noted for its numerous hot springs. It is also the site of many volcanic research institutes...

• Bibai city (1990 pop. 35,176), Hokkaido prefecture, central Hokkaido, Japan. Due to the decline of the Ishikari coal field, the population of Bibai has decreased steadily since the 1960s. The city's...

• Bonin Islands Jap. Ogasawara-gunto, volcanic island group, c.40 sq mi (100 sq km), in the W Pacific Ocean, c.500 mi (800 km) S of Tokyo; part of Tokyo prefecture, Japan. The largest and principal island is Chichi (formerly Peel...

• Chiba city (1990 pop. 829,455), capital of Chiba prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on Tokyo Bay. It is a manufacturing center noted for the production of steel, textiles, paper products, and plastics...

• Chichibu city (1990 pop. 60,915), Saitama prefecture, central Japan, on the Ara River. It is a center for the manufacture of silk fabrics. Rich reserves of limestone and iron ore in the area support the...

• Chigasaki city (1990 pop. 201,675), Kanagawa prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on Sagami Bay. It is a fashionable resort with large electronics and chinaware industries.

• Chiryu city (1990 pop. 54,059), Aichi prefecture, S central Honshu, Japan. The city was formed in 1970 by the merger of a number of smaller towns.

• Chitose city (1990 pop. 78,946), Hokkaido prefecture, central Hokkaido, Japan, on the Chitose River. It is a communications center and has one of Japan's largest major airports.

• Chofu city (1990 pop. 197,677), Tokyo Metropolis, E central Honshu, Japan, on the Tuma River. A residential suburb of Tokyo, Chofu produces electrical equipment, machinery, and food. The city has a...

• Choshi city (1990 pop. 85,138), Chiba prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Kashimada Sea at the mouth of the Tone River. It is a major center for deep-sea fishing and the major port of Chiba...

• Daito city (1990 pop. 126,460), Osaka prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan. A residential suburb of Osaka, the city produces electrical appliances and metal products.

• Ebetsu city (1990 pop. 97,201), Hokkaido prefecture, central Hokkaido, Japan. It is an industrial suburb of Sapporo and the site of a huge electric power company. Its industries include food processing...

• Edo see Tokyo , Japan.

• Ehime prefecture (1990 pop. 1,515,027), 2,188 sq mi (5,667 sq km), NE Shikoku, Japan. Matsuyama is the capital and chief port. The region is bounded on the N by the Inland Sea and on the W by Hoyo Strait. Mountainous, it rises to 6,497 ft (1,980 m) in Mt. Ishizuchi, the highest point on...

• Fuchu . 1 City (1990 pop. 45,739), Hiroshima prefecture, W Honshu, Japan, on the Ashida River. It is an agricultural and livestock center. 2 City (1990 pop. 209,396), Tokyo metropolis, E central Honshu, Japan. A residential suburb of Tokyo, it has heavy industry and manufactures computers. It is the headquarters of Japan's Air...

• Fuji city (1990 pop. 222,490), Shizuoka prefecture, S central Honshu, Japan, on Suruga Bay. It is an important communications and industrial center producing paper, electrical machinery, automobiles,...

• Fujinomiya city (1990 pop. 117,092), Shizuoka prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, at the foot of Mt. Fuji. It is an important railway junction and point of departure for the Mt. Fuji resort region. The city...

• Fujioka city (1990 pop. 60,983), Gumma prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Tone River. It is a manufacturing center where silk and soy sauce are produced.

• Fujisawa city (1990 pop. 350,330), Kanagawa prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on Sagami Bay. It is an industrial and residential suburb of Tokyo, known for the production of automobiles, electric...

• Fujiyoshida city (1990 pop. 54,804), Yamanashi prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Katsura River. It is an important communications center for the Mt. Fuji region. The city has a large textile industry....

• Fukaya city (1990 pop. 94,017), Saitama prefecture, E central Honshu, Japan. It is an industrial and residential suburb of Tokyo. Its main traditional industry was the production of ceramic tile.

• Fukuchiyama city (1990 pop. 66,506), Kyoto prefecture, W central Honshu, Japan, on the Yura River. Now an important railway junction and an agricultural market, it was a major castle town during the Edo era.

• Fukui fookoo´ē, fook´oo-ē , city (1990 pop. 252,743), capital of Fukui prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. A modern textile center, it is especially noted for silk manufactures. It was an important silk-weaving center in the...

• Fukuoka city (1990 pop. 1,237,062), capital of Fukuoka prefecture, N Kyushu, Japan, on Hakata Bay. An important seaport, airport hub, and railway terminus, it is one of the largest and most prosperous...

• Fukushima city (1990 pop. 277,528), capital of Fukushima prefecture, N Honshu, Japan, on the Kiso plain. A silk-textile center, it is a major commercial city of NE Japan, also producing cameras,...

• Fukuyama city (1990 pop. 365,612), Hiroshima prefecture, W Honshu, Japan, on the Ashida River. It is an important commercial, industrial, and communications center, producing machinery, Japanese harps...

• Funabashi city (1990 pop. 533,270), Chiba prefecture, E central Honshu, Japan, on Tokyo Bay. An industrial and residential suburb of Tokyo, it is known for its iron, steel, and petrochemical plants, as well...

• Furukawa city (1990 pop. 64,230), Miyagi prefecture, NE Honshu, Japan, on the Eai River. It is an agricultural market that specializes in horse trading and in the processing and distribution of rice.

• Gensan see Wonsan , North Korea.

• Gifu city (1990 pop. 410,324), capital of Gifu prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. A manufacturing and railway center, it has paper and textile industries and is noted for its trout fishing. It is the...

• Goshogawara city (1990 pop. 47,976), Aomori prefecture, N Honshu, Japan, on the Iwaki River. It is an agricultural market and a communications center.

• Gumma prefecture (1990 pop. 1,966,287), 2,446 sq mi (6,335 sq km), central Honshu, Japan. Maebashi is the capital; other important cities are Isezaki, Kiryu, and Takasaki. The prefecture is mountainous and has many hot springs. Gumma's economy is based on the production of wheat and raw silk...

• Hachinohe city (1990 pop. 241,057), Aomori prefecture, N Honshu, Japan, on the Oirase River and the Pacific Ocean. It is a fishing and commercial port, agricultural market, and industrial and commercial...

• Hadano city (1990 pop. 155,619), Kanagawa prefecture, E central Honshu, Japan. An important communications center and agricultural market, the city is a center of tobacco trading. The production of...

• Hagi city (1990 pop. 50,618), Yamaguchi prefecture, W Honshu, Japan, on the delta of the Abu River. It is known for the production of pottery and bamboo and was a castle town of the Mori clan during...

• Hakata see Fukuoka , Japan.

• Hakodate city (1990 pop. 307,249), extreme SW Hokkaido, Japan, on the Tsugaru Strait. Opened (1854) to U.S. ships and a little later (1857) to general foreign trade, it was the chief port of the island...

• Hamada city (1990 pop. 49,135), Shimane prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan, on the Japan Sea. It is a fishing and commercial port.

• Hamamatsu city (1990 pop. 534,620), Shizuoka prefecture, S central Honshu, Japan. An important transportation hub, its chief products are motorcycles, musical instruments, textiles, and tea. Hamamatsu was a...

• Hamhung Jap. Kanko, city (1993 pop. 709,730), capital of South Hamgyong prov., E central North Korea. It is a leading port for Korean foreign trade as well as a major industrial center. Textiles, metalware, machinery,...

• Handa city (1990 pop. 99,330), Aichi prefecture, S central Honshu, Japan, on the Chita Peninsula and Chita Bay. Handa, known for its cotton textiles, brewing, and food processing industries, was a...

• Hanno city (1990 pop. 73,214), Saitama prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Naguri River. It is a commercial town with a large logging industry.

• Hashima city (1990 pop. 61,460), Gifu prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Kijo River. It is a major center for the production of kimonos.

• Hatogaya city (1990 pop. 56,440), Saitama prefecture, E central Honshu, Japan. It is a residential suburb of Tokyo.

• Heijo see Pyongyang , North Korea.

• Hekinan city (1990 pop. 65,899), Aichi prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, near Chita Bay. Traditional industries such as the production of pottery and roof tiles exist alongside modern industries, such as...

• Higashikurume city (1990 pop. 113,818), Tokyo Metropolis, E central Honshu, Japan. It is a residential suburb of Tokyo.

• Higashimatsuyama city (1990 pop. 84,394), Saitama prefecture, E central Honshu, Japan. It is a suburb of Tokyo and an agricultural and communications center.

• Higashiosaka city (1990 pop. 518,319), Osaka prefecture, W central Honshu, Japan, on the Onii River. It is a residential and industrial suburb of Osaka. It produces electrical appliances, machinery, and paper....

• Himeji city (1990 pop. 454,360), Hyogo prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan. A railroad and market center, it manufactures cotton textiles and supplies iron and steel for the Osaka-Kobe industrial area. The...

• Himi city (1990 pop. 60,766), Toyama prefecture, W central Honshu, Japan, on Toyama Bay. It is a fishing port and agricultural distribution center.

• Hino city (1990 pop. 165,928), Tokyo Metropolis, E central Honshu, Japan, on the Asa River. A residential suburb of Tokyo and part of the Keihin Industrial Region, Hino produces automobiles and...

• Hiogo see Kobe , Japan.

• Hirado town (1990 pop. 26,864), Nagasaki prefecture, on Hirado island, off NW Kyushu, Japan. The Portuguese traded at its port c.1550, and Dutch and English factories were established in the early 17th...

• Hiratsuka city (1990 pop. 245,950), Kanagawa prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on Sagami Bay and the Sagami River. It is a commercial and industrial center with industries producing automobiles, rubber,...

• Hirosaki city (1990 pop. 174,704), Aomori prefecture, N Honshu, Japan. A commercial center, it has industries that produce silk and lacquer ware. It is a former castle town and has 17th-century ruins.

• Hiroshima city (1990 pop. 1,085,705), capital of Hiroshima prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan, on Hiroshima Bay. It is an important commercial and industrial center manufacturing trucks, ships, automobiles,...

• Hita city (1990 pop. 64,695), Oita prefecture, N central Kyushu, Japan, on the Chikugo River and the Hita plain. In addition to being an agricultural and industrial center, producing lumber, furniture,...

• Hitachi city (1990 pop. 202,141), Ibaraki prefecture, E central Honshu, Japan, on the Kashima Sea. The city is a leading producer of Japan's electrical equipment. It is also the site of one of Japan's...

• Hitoyoshi city (1990 pop. 40,173), Kumamoto prefecture, W central Kyushu, Japan, on the Kuma River. It is an agricultural center, railway junction, and popular resort area noted for its hot springs. It is a...

• Hofu city (1990 pop. 117,634), Yamaguchi prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan, on the Suo Sea. It is a center of chemical industries producing artificial fibers, liquors, and medicines. It also has significant...

• Hokkaido island (1990 pop. 5,643,515), c.30,130 sq mi (78,040 sq km), N Japan, separated from Honshu island by the Tsugaru Strait and from Sakhalin, Russia, by the Soya Strait. It is the second largest,...

• Hokushu see Hokkaido , Japan.

• Honjo city (1990 pop. 59,098), Saitama prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Tone River. It is an agricultural center and a market for raw silk.

• Honshu island (1990 pop. 98,352,000), c.89,000 sq mi (230,510 sq km), central Japan. It is c.800 mi (1,290 km) long and from c.30 to 150 mi (50-240 km) wide and is the largest and most important island...

• Horyu-ji see Nara , Japan.

• Hoya city (1990 pop. 95,148), Tokyo Metropolis, E central Honshu, Japan, on the Shakoji River. It is a residential suburb of Tokyo and an agricultural center where raw silk is produced.

• Hyogo prefecture (1990 pop. 5,405,090), 3,213 sq mi (8,322 sq km), SW Honshu, Japan. Kobe is the capital. Iron, steel, textiles, food processing, and lumbering are the main industries of Hyogo, which has...

• Hyuga city (1990 pop. 58,448), Miyazaki prefecture, E Kyushu, Japan, on the Pacific Ocean. It is a fishing port and agricultural center.

• Ibaraki prefecture (1990 pop. 2,845,411), 2,352 sq mi (6,092 sq km), central Honshu, Japan. Mito is the capital. The prefecture yields tobacco, cereals, coal, copper, petrochemicals, and electric machinery. A nuclear fuel plant in Tokaimura, N central Ibaraki, was the site of accident...

• Ichihara city (1990 pop. 257,716), Chiba prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on Tokyo Bay. Part of the Keihin Industrial Region, Ichihara has important petrochemical and steel industries. Its traditional...

• Ichikawa city (1990 pop. 436,957), Chiba prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Edo River. It is an industrial city with metallurgical, chemical, textile, and foodstuff industries.

• Ichinomiya city (1990 pop. 262,434), Aichi prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is an industrial satellite of Nagoya and has a large cotton and woollen textile industry.

• Ida city (1990 pop. 91,859), Nagano prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Tenryu River. It is an agricultural market and railway junction.

• Ie-shima see Okinawa.

• Ikeda city (1990 pop. 104,218), Osaka prefecture, S Honshu, Japan, on the Ina River. It is an industrial and residential suburb of Osaka with industries that include engine manufacture, brewing, and...

• Imabari city (1990 pop. 123,114), Ehime prefecture, N Shikoku, Japan, on the Hiuchi Sea. It is a commercial and fishing port and a manufacturing center with industries producing cotton textiles and food...

• Imaichi city (1990 pop. 56,009), Tochigi prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is an agricultural market and tourist center near Nikko National Park.

• Imari city (1990 pop. 60,882), Saga prefecture, NW Kyushu, Japan, on Imari Bay. It is a fishing and commercial port that produces such products as porcelain, lumber, and marine products.

• Ina city (1990 pop. 60,062), Nagano prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Tenryu River. It is an agricultural and industrial center with a famous agricultural school.

• Inazawa city (1990 pop. 96,274), Aichi prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is a residential and industrial suburb of Nagoya and a textile production center.

• Innoshima city (1990 pop. 32,640), Hiroshima prefecture, on Innoshima Island, Japan, on the Hiuchi Sea. It is a small fishing and commercial port and an agricultural center.

• Inuyama city (1990 pop. 69,801), Aichi prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Kiso River. It is a former castle town and is now an industrial center where textiles, chemicals, and automobiles are...

• Iruma city (1990 pop. 137,585), Saitama prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Iruma River. A residential and industrial suburb of Tokyo, Iruma is famous for the cultivation of Sayama green tea.

• Isahaya city (1990 pop. 90,683), Nagasaki prefecture, W Kyushu, Japan. An agricultural center and railway junction, Isahaya's economy is based on food-processing and tourism to the local national parks.

• Ise city (1990 pop. 104,164), Mie prefecture, S Honshu, Japan, on Ise Bay. It is one of the foremost religious centers of Shinto, the site of the shrines of Ise. These three shrines, set deep in a...

• Isesaki city (1990 pop. 115,938), Gumma prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. The city's main industries include textiles, transport equipment, and electrical appliances. It was a castle town of the Sakai...

• Ishigaki city (1990 pop. 41,245) Okinawa prefecture, Ryukyu Islands, Japan. It is an agricultural center where sake and dried tuna are produced.

• Ishikawa prefecture (1990 pop. 1,164,627), 1,619 sq mi (4,193 sq km), central Honshu, Japan. The capital is Kanazawa. There are wooded mountains in the interior and fertile plains along the coast. Rice,...

• Ishinomaki city (1990 pop. 121,976), Miyagi prefecture, N Honshu, Japan, on Ishinomaki Bay. It is a commercial and fishing port and a center for marine product processing and paper manufacturing.

• Itami city (1990 pop. 186,134), Hyogo prefecture, S Honshu, Japan, on the Muko River and Osaka Bay. It is a residential suburb of Osaka and the site of Osaka International Airport.

• Ito city (1990 pop. 71,223), Shizuoka prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Izu Peninsula and the Sagami Sea. It is an important fishing port and hot spring resort.

• Itsuku-shima sacred island, 12 sq mi (31 sq km), in the Inland Sea, Japan, SW of Hiroshima. It is the site of an ancient Shinto shrine, famous for its magical beauty. It is also known for a 9th-century...

• Iwaki city (1990 pop. 355,812), Fukushima prefecture, NE Honshu, Japan, on the Iwaki River. Once a major coal-mining center, Iwaki now relies on other products such as chemicals, petrochemicals,...

• Iwakuni city (1990 pop. 109,530), Yamaguchi prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan, on the Aki Sea. The site of Iwakuni International Airport, the city contains petrochemical, paper, and metal machine-tool...

• Iwata city (1990 pop. 83,521), Shizuoka prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the estuary of the Tenryu River. It is an agricultural and industrial center.

• Iwatsuki city (1990 pop. 106,462), Saitama prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Edo River. It is an industrial center where textiles are manufactured.

• Izuka city (1990 pop. 83,131), Fukuoka prefecture, N Kyushu, Japan, on the Onga River. Formerly an important coal mining center, Izuka is now a commercial center and railway hub.

• Izumi city (1990 pop. 146,127), Osaka prefecture, S Honshu, Japan. It is a residential and commercial suburb of Osaka, with numerous textile mills.

• Izumiotsu city (1990 pop. 67,037), Osaka prefecture, S Honshu, Japan, on Osaka Bay. It is a commercial port with textile, especially cotton, and chemical industries.

• Izumisano city (1990 pop. 88,866), Osaka prefecture, S Honshu, Japan, on Osaka Bay. It is a commercial port with textile and machinery industries.

• Izumo city (1990 pop. 82,679), Shimane prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan, on the Hii River. It is an important railway and road hub and stock-raising center. Its smaller industries include silk manufacture,...

• Japan Jap. Nihon or Nippon, country (2005 est. pop. 127,417,000), 145,833 sq mi (377,835 sq km), occupying an archipelago off the coast of E Asia. The capital is Tokyo , which, along with neighboring...

• Kadoma city (1990 pop. 142,297), Osaka prefecture, Honshu, Japan, on the Furu River. It is an industrial and residential suburb of Osaka and is the headquarters of the Matsushita Electric Industrial...

• Kaga city (1990 pop. 69,196), Ishikawa prefecture, W Honshu, Japan. It is an agricultural market, hot spring resort, and industrial center with electrical machinery, textile, and pottery industries.

• Kagawa prefecture (1990 pop. 1,023,434), N Shikoku, Japan. Takamatsu is the capital. It is an agricultural region (rice, barley, wheat, mandarin oranges) with a mountainous and forested interior. The coast has fishing ports and salt-producing centers. Lacquer, work...

• Kagoshima city (1990 pop. 536,752), capital of Kagoshima prefecture, extreme S Kyushu, Japan, on Satsuma Peninsula and Kagoshima Bay. An important port, it has a navy yard. The city's industries produce...

• Kainan city (1990 pop. 48,596), Wakayama prefecture, S Honshu, Japan, on the Kii Sound. It is a port, railway junction, and industrial center with lacquer ware, textile, and petrochemical industries.

• Kaizuka city (1990 pop. 79,234), Osaka prefecture, S Honshu, Japan, on Osaka Bay. It is a commercial port and industrial center where textiles are produced.

• Kakamigahara city (1990 pop. 129,680), Gifu prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is an agricultural and commercial center.

• Kakogawa city (1990 pop. 239,803), Hyogo prefecture, S Honshu, Japan, on the Kako River. It is an industrial center where woolen and rubber goods are produced, in addition to machinery and chemicals.

• Kamakura city (1990 pop. 174,307), Kanagawa prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on Sagami Bay and at the base of the Miura Peninsula. It is a resort and residential area but is chiefly noted as a religious...

• Kanagawa prefecture (1990 pop. 7,980,421), E central Honshu, Japan. Yokohama is the capital. Other important cities include Kawasaki, Yokosuka, and Kamakura (a religious center). The urban belt of the...

• Kanazawa city (1990 pop. 442,868), capital of Ishikawa prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Sea of Japan. It produces cotton and silk textiles, machinery, fine porcelain and lacquer ware, rolling...

• Kanonji city (1990 pop. 45,500), Kagawa prefecture, E Shikoku, Japan, on the Hiuchi Sea. It is a religious center and agricultural market noted for its Kanonji (Buddhist) Temple.

• Kanoya city (1990 pop. 77,655), Kagoshima prefecture, S Kyushu, Japan, on the Osumi Peninsula. It is an agricultural market for cereals and sweet potatoes, and it has a small weaving industry.

• Kanuma city (1990 pop. 90,043), Tochigi prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is an industrial center where brooms, hemp yarn and rope, lumber, and furniture are produced.

• Karatsu city (1990 pop. 79,207), Saga prefecture, NW Kyushu, Japan, on Karatsu Bay. It is a summer resort and fishing port important historically as Japan's ancient communications point with Korea...

• Kariya city (1990 pop. 120,126), Aichi prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is an industrial center with textile, mechanical, food-processing industries, and ceramic tile industries.

• Kashiwazaki city (1990 pop. 88,309), Niigata prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Japan Sea. A resort town known for its hot springs, Kashiwazaki produces petrochemicals, machinery, glass, and lumber.

• Kasugai city (1990 pop. 266,599), Aichi prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is a suburb of Nagoya and the site of paper, silk, and textile industries.

• Katsuta city (1990 pop. 109,825), Ibaraki prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Naka River. Katsuta is a commercial center with mechanical, automotive, and electronics industries.

• Kawagoe city (1990 pop. 304,854), Saitama prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. Silk textile manufacturing, electronics, and food processing are among the city's industries. Kawagoe is the site of Kitain...

• Kawaguchi city (1990 pop. 438,680), Saitama prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Ajikawa and Kizagawa rivers. A Tokyo suburb, it has ironworks, textile mills, and breweries.

• Kawanishi city (1990 pop. 141,253), Hyogo prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Ina River. It is an agricultural and commercial center that produces leather, dyed cloth, hats, and garden plants.

• Kawasaki city (1990 pop. 1,173,603), Kanagawa prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on Tokyo Bay. Located in the Tokyo-Yokohama industrial area, it has steel mills, shipyards, oil refineries, engineering...

• Keihin see Yokohama , Japan.

• Kesennuma city (1990 pop. 65,578), Miyagi prefecture, NE Honshu, Japan, on Kesennuma Bay. A fishing port, its industries include textiles and rubber and leather goods.

• Kiryu city (1990 pop. 126,446), Gumma prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. A major center of silk production since the 8th cent., it now manufactures rayon as well.

• Kisarazu city (1990 pop. 123,433), Chiba prefecture, E central Honshu, Japan, on Tokyo Bay. It is a residential and industrial suburb of Tokyo noted for its Shojoji (Buddhist) temple. Chemicals, electrical...

• Kishiwada city (1990 pop. 188,563), Osaka prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan, on Osaka Bay. It is an industrial and residential suburb of Osaka, producing lumber, textiles, and metals.

• Kitakyushu city (1990 pop. 1,026,455), Fukuoka prefecture, N Kyushu, Japan, on the Shimonoseki Strait between the Inland Sea and the Korea Strait. It was formed in 1963 by the union of the cities of Kokura,...

• Kitami city (1990 pop. 107,247), Hokkaido prefecture, NE Hokkaido, Japan, on the Tokoro River. It is an agricultural market and a major center for the production of peppermint. Kitami also produces...

• Kobe city (1990 pop. 1,477,410), capital of Hyogo prefecture, S Honshu, Japan, on Osaka Bay. One of the leading Japanese ports, it is also a major industrial center and railway hub. It is part of a...

• Kochi city (1990 pop. 317,069), capital of Kochi prefecture, S Shikoku, Japan. From its port, Urado, the city exports dried bonito, ornamental coral, cement, and paper. Kochi prefecture (1990 pop...

• Kodaira city (1990 pop. 164,013), Tokyo Metropolis, central Honshu, Japan. It is a suburb of Tokyo, producing automobile tires and electrical machinery.

• Kofu city (1990 pop. 200,626), capital of Yamanashi prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is an industrial center, with manufactures of silk textiles, jewelry, and crystal ware, as well as a collection...

• Koganei city (1990 pop. 105,899), Tokyo Metropolis, central Honshu, Japan. A suburb of Tokyo, Koganei is home to the Tokyo Univ. of Liberal Arts.

• Kokubunji city (1990 pop. 100,982), Tokyo Metropolis, central Honshu, Japan. It is a suburb of Tokyo and is noted for its Kokubunji (Buddhist) temple founded in 1588.

• Kokura see Kitakyushu , Japan.

• Komaki city (1990 pop. 124,441), Aichi prefecture, Honshu, Japan, on the Nobi Plain. A suburb of Nagoya, it has industries that produce pottery, rubber, machines, and fibers.

• Komatsu city (1990 pop. 106,075), Ishikawa prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is a flourishing market town noted for its copper mining and the production of silk, rayon, and construction machinery.

• Koriyama city (1990 pop. 314,642), Fukushima prefecture, N Honshu, Japan, on the Abukuma River. It is a major commercial and communications center with industries producing textiles, chemicals, machinery,...

• Koshigaya city (1990 pop. 285,259), Saitama prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Motoara River. A suburb of Tokyo noted for its peach orchards, Koshigaya also produces leather, chemicals, and machinery....

• Kumamoto city (1990 pop. 579,306), capital of Kumamoto prefecture, W Kyushu, Japan. It was an important castle town in the 17th cent.; one of its castles (built 1651) still stands. There are also several...

• Kurashiki city (1990 pop. 414,693), Okayama prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan. A rail junction, the city produces refined petroleum and petrochemicals, motor vehicles, textiles. and nori (a type of seaweed). The...

• Kurayoshi city (1990 pop. 51,834), Tottori prefecture, W Honshu, Japan, on the Tenjin River. It is an agricultural and communications center with textile, agricultural machinery, and beverage industries. A...

• Kurume city (1990 pop. 228,347), Fukuoka prefecture, W Kyushu, Japan, on the Chikugo Plain. It is a commercial and agricultural center and manufactures rubber and cotton goods. Kurume is a former castle...

• Kushiro city (1990 pop. 205,640), SE Hokkaido, Japan, on the Pacific Ocean. The main port of E Hokkaido and the island's only ice-free trading port, it exports timber, fish, and coal. Kushiro is also a...

• Kuwana city (1990 pop. 97,911), Mie prefecture, S Honshu, Japan, on Ise Bay. It is an important port and industrial center with large metal, textile, machinery, and processed food industries.

• Kyoto city (1990 pop. 1,461,140), capital of Kyoto prefecture, S Honshu, Japan, on the Kamo River. Yodo is its port. Kyoto is one of Japan's largest cities and an important cultural and spiritual...

• Kyushu island (1990 pop. 13,064,955), c.13,760 sq mi (35,640 sq km), S Japan. It is the third largest, southernmost, and most densely populated of the major islands of Japan. It is separated from Shikoku...

• Liu-ch'iu see Ryukyu Islands.

• Liu-kiu Islands see Ryukyu Islands.

• Loo-choo Islands see Ryukyu Islands.

• Lu-chu Islands see Ryukyu Islands.

• Machida city (1990 pop. 349,050), Tokyo Metropolis, E central Honshu, Japan, on the Tsurumi River. It is an industrial and residential suburb of Tokyo, and an important transportation hub.

• Maebashi city (1990 pop. 286,261), capital of Gumma prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on the Tone River. Now a silk textile center, it was formerly the castle town of the Matsudaira clan.

• Maizuru city (1990 pop. 96,333), Kyoto prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan, on Maizuru Bay. It is an important port and naval base with the best natural harbor on the Japan Sea coast. The city has spinning mills...

• Manchukuo former country, comprising the three provinces of NE China, traditionally called Manchuria. The Japanese invaded Manchuria in 1931 and founded Manchukuo in 1932. Changchun, the capital, was...

• Marugame city (1990 pop. 75,606), Kagawa prefecture, N Shikoku, Japan, on the Inland Sea. An important port, it produces rice and barley, along with industrial products such as chemicals, textiles, and salt....

• Masuda city (1990 pop. 52,408), Shimane prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan, on the Sea of Japan at the mouth of the Takutsu River. It is an agricultural and communications center, with small industries such as...

• Matsubara city (1990 pop. 135,919), Osaka prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan. It is an industrial and residential suburb of Osaka known for the production of cultured and artificial pearls.

• Matsudo city (1990 pop. 456,210), Chiba prefecture, E central Honshu, Japan. A suburb of Tokyo, it has several ironworks factories.

• Matsue city (1990 pop. 142,956), capital of Shimane prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan, a port on the Sea of Japan. It is an important distribution center and a popular tourist spot. Landmarks include the 17th...

• Matsumoto city (1990 pop. 200,715), Nagano prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is a market for silkworms and raw silk. Industries include computer components, food processing, machine-building, and...

• Matsushima town (1990 pop. 17,431), Miyagi prefecture, N Honshu, Japan, on Ishinomaki Bay. It is a tourist center for the hundreds of scenic pine-covered islets in the bay. One island is the site of the...

• Matsuyama city (1990 pop. 443,322), capital of Ehime prefecture, NW Shikoku, Japan, a port on the Inland Sea. It is an important agricultural distribution point and fishing port. Cotton textiles, paper...

• Mie prefecture (1990 pop. 1,792,542), S Honshu, Japan, on Ise Bay. Tsu (the capital), Ise (a major Shintoist center), Yokk