Shin'etsu (信越地方,Shin'etsu Chihō;Japanese pronunciation:[ɕi(ꜜ)ɰ̃.e.tsɯ,ɕiɰ̃.e.tsɯtɕiꜜ.hoː,-tɕi̥.hoꜜː][1]) is a geographical region of Japan.[2]
The area encompasses theold provinces ofShinano andEchigo. Though the name is a combination of those two provinces, the region also containsSado Island fromSado Province. It is located in the modern-day prefectures ofNagano andNiigata.
The nameShin-Etsu is used in the name of related multinational chemical companies.[3]
TheShin'etsu Main Line is part ofJapan Railways service running fromShinonoi Station inNagano Prefecture toNiigata Station inNiigata Prefecture,.[4]
In 1926, the Shinetsu Electric Company diversified as Shin'etsu Nitrogenous Fertilizer.[5]
The economy of Shin'etsu subregion is large and highly diversified with a strong focus on silverware, electronics, information technology, precision machinery, agriculture and food products, and tourism. It also produces crude oil. Until 1989, Shin'etsu subregion also had a vibrant mining economy specifically of gold in Sado Island. The Cities ofSanjō, Niigata andTsubame, Niigata in Niigata prefecture of Shin'etsu subregion produce 90 percent of all the silverware made in Japan. The same two cities are second after Osaka in the production of scissors, kitchen knives, and wrenches.
Per Japanese census data,[6][7] and,[8] Shin'etsu subregion has reached its peak population at the year 2000 and has since faced continuous population decline.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 2,546,752 | — |
| 1890 | 2,839,798 | +11.5% |
| 1903 | 3,128,679 | +10.2% |
| 1913 | 3,395,513 | +8.5% |
| 1920 | 3,339,196 | −1.7% |
| 1930 | 3,650,444 | +9.3% |
| 1940 | 3,775,131 | +3.4% |
| 1950 | 4,521,828 | +19.8% |
| 1960 | 4,423,470 | −2.2% |
| 1970 | 4,317,899 | −2.4% |
| 1980 | 4,535,291 | +5.0% |
| 1990 | 4,631,210 | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 4,690,901 | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 4,526,899 | −3.5% |
| 2020 | 4,279,989 | −5.5% |
 | This Nagano Prefecture location article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byadding missing information. |
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