is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
in
Okinawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city o ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, located on the
Miyako Islands
The (also Miyako Jima group) are a group of islands in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, belonging to the Ryukyu Islands. They are situated between the Okinawa Island and Yaeyama Islands.
In the early 1870s, the population of the islands was estim ...
. As of 2012, it had a population of 54,908. The current mayor is
Kazuyuki Zakimi, who took office on January 25, 2021.
History
The modern city of Miyakojima was established on October 1, 2005, from the merger of the old city of
Hirara, the towns of
Gusukube,
Irabu and
Shimoji, and the village of
Ueno
is a district in Tokyo's Taitō Ward, best known as the home of Ueno Park. Ueno is also home to some of Tokyo's finest cultural sites, including the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, and the National Museum of Na ...
(all from
Miyako District). As a result of the merger, Miyako District only has one remaining village.
Geography
Since the city was created by merging several towns that were located on different islands, the city of Miyakojima consists of multiple islands. The islands administered by the city include:
*
Miyako-jima
is the largest and the most populous island among the Miyako Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Miyako Island is administered as part of the City of Miyakojima, which includes not only Miyako Island, but also five other populated island ...
*
Ikema-jima
*
Ōgami-jima
*
Irabu-jima
( Miyako: ''Irav''), is an island in Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The island is connected to Miyako Island by a bridge , which was completed in January 2015. Irabu Island is also connected via six bridges to Shimoji-shima. There are ...
*
Shimojishima
, ( Miyako: ''Sïmuzï'') is one of the Miyako Islands, a part of the Ryukyu Islands. The island is administered by Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The island is connected to Irabu Island via .
Shimoji-shima is included within the Ir ...
*
Kurima-jima
, ( Miyako: ''Ffyama'') is one of the Miyako Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is connected to Miyako-jima via 1,690m Kurima Bridge ().
Gallery
Miyako kurima.JPG, Kurima-jima
Kurimajima Miyakojima Okinawa Japan02n4500.jpg, Bridge ...
Several of the islands are connected by bridge.
* Miyako-jima and Ikema-jima
* Miyako-jima and Kurima-jima
* Miyako-jima and Irabu-jima
* Irabu-jima and Shimojishima: connected by six bridges (they are very close together)
Ogami-jima is the only island that is not connected by bridge and must be reached by boat.
Demographics
As of December 2012 the city has an estimated
population
Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...
of 54,908 and a
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
of 268.45 per km
2. The total area is 204.54 km
2. The city had 24,728 households.
This makes it the ninth-largest city in Okinawa Prefecture.
Government
National government
The city, along with the cities of
Ishigaki,
Itoman
''ʔIcuman'' is a Cities of Japan, city located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The city occupies the southern tip of Okinawa Island. As of April 2013, the city has an estimated population of 59,605 and a population density of 1,335.53 persons pe ...
, and
Tomigusuku
滝原康盛 ''Takihara Yasumori''. 沖縄語会話集 日本語・沖縄語・ローマ字付き ''Okinawago Kaiwashū: Nihongo, Okinawago, Rōmaji-tsuki.'' (''Okinawan Conversation Collection: Japanese, Okinawan, Romaji.'') 那覇:沖縄芸能 ...
, lies in
Okinawa 4th district, which elects one representative to the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
(lower house). The current representative is
Kosaburo Nishime
is a Japanese politician who served as Minister of Reconstruction from October 2021 to August 2022. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he also serves in the House of Representatives representing Okinawa’s 4th District since 2012.
A n ...
of the
Liberal Democratic Party. The entire prefecture of Okinawa elects two representatives (one each three years) to the
House of Councillors
The is the upper house of the National Diet of Japan. The House of Representatives is the lower house. The House of Councillors is the successor to the pre-war House of Peers. If the two houses disagree on matters of the budget, treaties, ...
(upper house). The current representatives are:
*
Yōichi Iha (member of the Okinawa Whirlwind Party). First elected in 2016, term ends in 2022.
*
Tetsumi Takara (member of the Okinawa Whirlwind Party). First elected in 2019, term ends in 2025.
Prefectural government
The city forms most of the "Miyakojima constituency" (along with
Tarama island) and elects two members to the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly. Representatives are elected for a term of 4 years.
Local government
Mayor
The current mayor of Miyakojima is
Kazuyuki Zakimi (born 1949). He took office on January 25, 2021,
after defeating the incumbent Toshihiko Shimoji (born 1945) on the January 17, 2021 election. Zakimi was endorsed by the
Constitutional Democratic Party
)
, newspaper = ''Rech''
, ideology = ConstitutionalismConstitutional monarchismLiberal democracyParliamentarism Political pluralismSocial liberalism
, position = Centre to centre-left
, international =
, colours ...
and the
Japanese Communist Party
The is a left-wing to far-left political party in Japan. With approximately 270,000 members belonging to 18,000 branches, it is one of the largest non-governing communist parties in the world.
The party advocates the establishment of a democr ...
, while Shimoji was endorsed by the
Liberal Democratic Party and
Komeito
, formerly New Komeito and abbreviated NKP, is a conservative political party in Japan founded by lay members of the Buddhist Japanese new religious movement Soka Gakkai in 1964. Since 2012, it has served in government as the junior coalitio ...
.
Previous mayors of the city (since the 2005 merger) include:
* Akira Ishimine (2005–08). Resigned due to scandal.
* Toshihiko Shimoji (2008–21). Defeated in election.
City council
The Miyakojima City Council consists of 24 people. Most formally register as independent but are members of a caucus.
Number of members by formal party affiliation:
* Independent/no affiliation: 20
*
Japanese Communist Party
The is a left-wing to far-left political party in Japan. With approximately 270,000 members belonging to 18,000 branches, it is one of the largest non-governing communist parties in the world.
The party advocates the establishment of a democr ...
: 1
*
Komeito
, formerly New Komeito and abbreviated NKP, is a conservative political party in Japan founded by lay members of the Buddhist Japanese new religious movement Soka Gakkai in 1964. Since 2012, it has served in government as the junior coalitio ...
: 2
*
Liberal Democratic Party: 1
Transportation
The city of Miyakojima is served by two airports.
Miyako Airport (MMY), the main commercial airport, is located on Miyako Island; and
Shimoji Airport, initially a private field, is now a
Class 3 facility operated by the prefectural government located on Shimojishima. This nearby island is close enough to be connected by a causeway bridge to the larger Miyako Island.
Economy
Agriculture and livestock are the core financial industries in Miyakojima, with the main exports consisting of sugar cane, tobacco, cattle, and mango. Fisheries and seaweed farms, producing species such as
mozuku
Mozuku is a collective term for various types of Japanese brown algae from the family Chordariaceae, which are used as food. These include ito-mozuku ('' Nemacystus decipiens''), Okinawa mozuku (''Cladosiphon okamuranus
is a type of edible ...
and
sea lettuce
The sea lettuces comprise the genus ''Ulva'', a group of edible green algae that is widely distributed along the coasts of the world's oceans. The type species within the genus ''Ulva'' is ''Ulva lactuca'', wikt:lactuca, ''lactuca'' being Latin ...
, can be found in and around areas like
Ikemajima
, is located to the north of Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The island is connected to Miyako Island with a bridge (), which was completed in February 1992. There is a pond in the centre of the island. To the north-east is the . T ...
and
Irabujima
( Miyako: ''Irav''), is an island in Miyakojima
is the largest and the most populous island among the Miyako Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Miyako Island is administered as part of the City of Miyakojima, which includes not only ...
. However, each year more and more land formerly used for agriculture is being sold and converted into residential and retail buildings.
The tourism industry is a steadily growing component of Miyakojima's economy. Traveling to the islands is facilitated primarily through airlines and cruise lines. With the addition of international flights made available through the opening of
Shimoji Airport in 2019, flights connecting to Miyako have been increasing – over 730,000 plane tickets entering into Miyakojima were purchased in 2019 alone. Since 2016 cruises have been a significant catalyst to Miyakojima's tourism industry, notably megaships servicing international tourists. Efforts to introduce space travel have also been announced, as
PD Aerospace
, often abbreviated PDAS, is a Japanese space tourism company based in Nagoya founded in 2007 by Shuji Ogawa. The "PD" in the company's name stands for " pulse detonation". PDAS is developing a suborbital spaceplane to carry two pilots and six ...
proposes to create a spaceport at Shimojijima airport and begin flights in 2025. The islands are popular tourist destinations because of the clear blue sea and white beaches. There are several golf clubs on the islands.
There are six breweries on the islands and a chemical plant that converts sugar cane into ethanol.
Facilities
Education
There are a total of 3 high schools in the city, including one technical high school and one business high school.
There are 13 middle schools, including one that has been recently closed, and one special school for the intellectually disabled.
There are two schools that are both elementary and middle schools.
There are 15 elementary schools.
Medical
There are two hospitals: one public, and one private.
Museum
There is one museum, the Miyakojima City Museum.
Meeting venues
There are five community centers, one municipal theater, a City Hall, three "Remote Island Promotion Centers" (one each for Ikemajima, Irabujima, and Kurimajima), and three "Rural Environment Improvement Centers".
Gymnasium/Athletic Center
There are two gymnasiums, three baseball fields, three other athletic fields, and two "physical education centers".
Transportation
Airports
There are two airports:
Miyako Airport
is an airport on Miyako-jima (Miyako Island) in Miyakojima, Okinawa, Japan.
History
The airport opened in 1943 as an Imperial Japanese Navy airbase. Civilian operations commenced in 1956. Jet service commenced in 1978 using Boeing 737s.
Japan ...
and
Shimojishima Airport.
Ports
There are four ports:
* Hirara Port (central port)
* Kuruma Port
* Sarahama Port (on Irabujima)
* Nagayama Port (on Irabujima)
Most boat travel takes place between one of the ports and
Futenma
is a United States Marine Corps base located in Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan, northeast of Naha, on the island of Okinawa. It is home to approximately 3,000 Marines of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and other units, and has been a U.S. military air ...
port on the
Island of Okinawa. There is also travel between Miyako Island and Ogamijima, the only island that is not connected by bridge.
Roads
Part of Japanese National Highway 390 runs across the island. The highway consists of two sections: a section that transverses
Ishigaki Island
, also known as ''Ishigakijima'', is a Japanese island south-west of Okinawa Hontō and the second-largest island of the Yaeyama Island group, behind Iriomote Island. It is located approximately south-west of Okinawa Hontō. It is within the ...
, and the section that transverses Miyako Island. The two sections used to be connected by boat, but boat service was discontinued and now the two sections of the highway are disconnected.
Numerous prefectural roads traverse the islands.
Bus
Bus services are provided by four bus operators, that service a total of nine lines:
* Miyako Kyoei Bus (route from Miyakojima to Kurimajima)
* Yachiyo Bus (route from Miyakojima to Ikemajima)
* Kyowa Bus (from Miyakojima to Irabujima)
* Chuo Kotsu (from Miyakojima to Shimojishima)
Media
Newspapers
There are two major newspapers in the city:
* Miyako Mainichi Shimbun
* Miyako Shinpo
Broadcast
* SInce 2018,
FM Okinawa
is an FM radio station in Okinawa, Japan. The station is an affiliate of the Japan FM Network (JFN). It started broadcasting on September 1, 1984, replacing its existing AM radio station which started broadcasting in February 1958.
The station ...
can be received in the city.
* Miyako TV (Cable TV): Opened as Miyakojima Cable TV in 1978.
* There are FM relay stations of Ryukyu Broadcasting (RBCi Radio) and Radio Okinawa (ROK).
* Until 1992, commercial TV could not be broadcast live in the city because there was no relay station (broadcast had to be recorded and then broadcast with a delay). After the relay station opened, Miyako TV began broadcasting commercial TV.
* Miyako Television has the
Nippon Television Network
JOAX-DTV (channel 4), branded as , is the flagship station of the Nippon News Network and the Nippon Television Network System, owned-and-operated by the which is a subsidiary of the certified broadcasting holding company , itself a listed sub ...
and the transmission equipment of
TV Asahi
JOEX-DTV (channel 5), branded as (also known as EX and and stylized as TV asahi), is a television station that is owned and operated by the subsidiary of certified broadcasting holding company , itself controlled by The Asahi Shimbun Compan ...
.
Communication
Mail
Mail collection and delivery is handled by the Miyako Post Office. There are several other smaller post offices that people use to drop off mail.
Phone
The entire city has the same area code: 0980 (since 2002).
Climate
The climate of Miyakojima is on the boundary between a
tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate, humid tropical climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southea ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''Af'') and a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''Cfa'') with very warm summers and mild winters. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year; August is the wettest month, and January and July are the driest.
Environmental initiatives
In 2008, the city announced the first "Declaration of Eco Island Miyakojima" with a goal to encourage industrial development and environmental conservation, notably of ground water sources and coral reefs. This initiative was also focused on creating a self-sustaining energy supply primarily through low-cost solar energy.
As of 2009, the city has been certified as an Eco-Model City. A second version of the Declaration of Eco Island Miyakojima was introduced under the slogan "Toward the Future 1,000 Years From Now" in 2018, with an action plan released in 2019.
This updated version maintains similar goals with some added initiatives such as the eradication of foreign animal species, namely peacocks, and the reduction of household waste discharge. Under this second declaration, a greater emphasis has been placed on the promotion of these environmental initiatives through actions such as the establishment of an Eco Island Miyakojima brand, the creation of a contests, and the integration of environmental sustainability education into local public schools.
In 2019, the city was awarded a gold medal, also known as the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry Prize, in the New Energy Awards for its efforts in proliferating solar energy throughout the island.
German influence
In 1873, the German ship ''Robertson'' was shipwrecked on Miyako Island.
[Kerr, George. ''Okinawa: History of an Island People''. Tokyo, Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1958. Page 410.] The crew were saved and cared for by the local islanders. As a gift for the islanders' kindness, and as an excuse for German warships to enter Ryūkyūan waters,
Kaiser Wilhelm I
William I or Wilhelm I (german: Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig; 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888) was King of Prussia from 2 January 1861 and German Emperor from 18 January 1871 until his death in 1888. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he was the f ...
erected a monument on the island in 1876, known locally as the
German Emperor's Tributary Monument or the Friendship Monument.
After
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
annexed the
Ryūkyū Kingdom
The Ryukyu Kingdom, Middle Chinese: , , Classical Chinese: (), Historical English language, English names: ''Lew Chew'', ''Lewchew'', ''Luchu'', and ''Loochoo'', Historical French name: ''Liou-tchou'', Historical Dutch name: ''Lioe-kioe'' wa ...
, Japan used this as evidence of a history of friendship between Japan and Germany.
In 1987, the
Ueno German Culture Village
is a theme park in Miyakojima, Okinawa. It is located in Ueno district.
History
In 1873, the German schooner ''R. J. Robertson'' was shipwrecked off the coast of Miyako Island near what is now the German Culture Village in Ueno.Kerr, George. ...
opened in
Ueno village, Miyako. Internet websites under the name ''Ueno German Cultural Village'' can be easily found, however Ueno Village, Miyako Island, no longer exists as a jurisdiction since, as mentioned above, all of the separate cities, towns and villages on the island were merged into Miyakojima city in 2005.
Sister cities
In Japan
*
Muroran
is a city and port located in Iburi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Iburi Subprefecture. As of February 29, 2012, the city has an estimated population of 93,716, with 47,868 households and a population density of . The ...
,
Hokkaido
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
(since 1998)
*
Nishiaizu,
Yama
Yama (Devanagari: यम) or Yamarāja (यमराज), is a deity of death, dharma, the south direction, and the underworld who predominantly features in Hindu and Buddhist religion, belonging to an early stratum of Rigvedic Hindu deities ...
,
Fukushima
may refer to:
Japan
* Fukushima Prefecture, Japanese prefecture
** Fukushima, Fukushima, capital city of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
***Fukushima University, national university in Japan
*** Fukushima Station (Fukushima) in Fukushima, Fukushim ...
*
Joetsu,
Niigata
*
Setagaya Ward
is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is also the name of a neighborhood and administrative district within the ward. The ward calls itself Setagaya City in English. Its official bird is the azure-winged magpie, its flower is the fringed orch ...
,
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
(since 1962)
*
Fujieda,
Shizuoka
Shizuoka can refer to:
* Shizuoka Prefecture, a Japanese prefecture
* Shizuoka (city), the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture
* Shizuoka Airport
* Shizuoka Domain, the name from 1868 to 1871 for Sunpu Domain, a predecessor of Shizuoka Prefecture
...
(since 2011)
*
Shirakawa,
Gifu
is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku ...
*
Tsuyama
is a city in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 102,294 and a population density of 200 persons per km². The total area was 185.73 km². The area increased in 2005 as the result of a merger with adjacent t ...
,
Okayama
is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The city was founded on June 1, 1889. , the city has an estimated population of 720,841 and a population density of 910 persons per km2. The total area is .
The city is ...
*
Naruto
''Naruto'' is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. It tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who seeks recognition from his peers and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the leader of his village. T ...
,
Tokushima
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 728,633 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,146 km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the north, E ...
(since 2003)
*
Shirakawa,
Kamo The name Kamo may refer to the following:
Places
Japan
(Note: ''kamo'' ( 鴨), is the common word for ''duck'' in Japanese, but the following names do not necessarily mean ''duck'' and are not necessarily written with that character.)
* Kamo, N ...
,
Gifu
is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku ...
(since 2004)
Outside Japan
*
Maui County
Maui County, officially the County of Maui, is a county in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It consists of the islands of Maui, Lānai, Molokai (except for a portion of Molokai that comprises Kalawao County), Kahoolawe, and Molokini. The latter two a ...
,
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
,
U.S.
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
(since 1965)
*
Keelung City
Keelung () or Jilong () (; Hokkien POJ: '), officially known as Keelung City, is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. The city is a part of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with its neighbors, New Taipe ...
,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
(since 2007)
Notable residents
*
Hideki Irabu
was a Japanese professional baseball player of American and Japanese mixed ancestry. He played professionally in both Japan and the United States. Irabu played for the Lotte Orions / Chiba Lotte Marines and Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professiona ...
, baseball player
*
Katsuyoshi Tomori
is a Japanese professional golfer.
Career
Tomori was born in Okinawa Prefecture. He turned professional in 1982. His seven tournament wins on the Japan Golf Tour include the 1994 Mitsubishi Galant Tournament and the 1995 Japan PGA Match-Play C ...
, golfer
*
Kazumasa Uesato, footballer
*
Masanobu Kikukawa, martial artist
*
Mikio Shimoji
is a Japanese politician, a member of the Initiatives from Osaka party in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Hirara, Okinawa and graduate of Chuo Gakuin University, he was elected for the first time in ...
, politician
Gallery
References
External links
Miyakojima City official website
{{Authority control
Cities in Okinawa Prefecture
Port settlements in Japan
Populated coastal places in Japan
Environmental model cities