Yokkaichi 四日市市 | |||||||||
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 Flag  Seal | |||||||||
 Location of Yokkaichi in Mie Prefecture | |||||||||
  Yokkaichi | |||||||||
| Coordinates:34°57′54.1″N136°37′27.9″E / 34.965028°N 136.624417°E /34.965028; 136.624417 | |||||||||
| Country | Japan | ||||||||
| Region | Kansai | ||||||||
| Prefecture | Mie | ||||||||
| Government | |||||||||
| • Mayor | Tomohiro Mori | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
• Total | 206.44 km2 (79.71 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population (August 2021) | |||||||||
• Total | 310,259 | ||||||||
| • Density | 1,500/km2 (3,900/sq mi) | ||||||||
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) | ||||||||
| Phone number | 059-354-8244 | ||||||||
| Address | 1-5 Suwa-chō, Yokkaichi-shi, Mie-ken 510-8601 | ||||||||
| Climate | Cfa | ||||||||
| Website | Official website | ||||||||
| Symbols | |||||||||
| Bird | Black-headed gull | ||||||||
| Flower | Salvia splendens | ||||||||
| Tree | Cinnamomum camphora | ||||||||
Yokkaichi (四日市市,Yokkaichi-shi) is acity located inMie Prefecture,Japan. As of 1 August 2021[update], the city had an estimatedpopulation of 310,259 in 142162 households and apopulation density of 1500 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the city is 206.44 square kilometres (79.71 sq mi).
Yokkaichi is located in the north-central of Mie Prefecture, part of the northeasternKii Peninsula. It stretches the width of Mie Prefecture, and is bordered byIse Bay on thePacific Ocean to the east, andShiga Prefecture to the northwest.
Mie Prefecture
Yokkaichi has aHumid subtropical climate (KöppenCfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Yokkaichi is 15.2 °C (59.4 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,807.3 mm (71.15 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.8 °C (80.2 °F), and lowest in January, at around 4.3 °C (39.7 °F).[2]
| Climate data for Yokkaichi (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1966−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 19.9 (67.8) | 22.2 (72.0) | 24.5 (76.1) | 29.5 (85.1) | 33.1 (91.6) | 35.4 (95.7) | 37.9 (100.2) | 38.8 (101.8) | 36.9 (98.4) | 31.5 (88.7) | 24.8 (76.6) | 21.9 (71.4) | 38.8 (101.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 9.0 (48.2) | 10.0 (50.0) | 13.3 (55.9) | 18.7 (65.7) | 23.2 (73.8) | 26.1 (79.0) | 29.9 (85.8) | 31.4 (88.5) | 27.7 (81.9) | 22.4 (72.3) | 17.0 (62.6) | 11.5 (52.7) | 20.0 (68.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.3 (39.7) | 4.9 (40.8) | 8.1 (46.6) | 13.3 (55.9) | 18.0 (64.4) | 21.7 (71.1) | 25.6 (78.1) | 26.8 (80.2) | 23.2 (73.8) | 17.5 (63.5) | 11.8 (53.2) | 6.6 (43.9) | 15.2 (59.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −0.1 (31.8) | 0.0 (32.0) | 2.9 (37.2) | 7.9 (46.2) | 13.0 (55.4) | 17.8 (64.0) | 22.2 (72.0) | 23.2 (73.8) | 19.4 (66.9) | 13.0 (55.4) | 7.1 (44.8) | 2.0 (35.6) | 10.7 (51.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −6.0 (21.2) | −6.3 (20.7) | −4.6 (23.7) | −1.1 (30.0) | 3.8 (38.8) | 9.8 (49.6) | 13.7 (56.7) | 15.8 (60.4) | 9.7 (49.5) | 2.2 (36.0) | −1.0 (30.2) | −5.6 (21.9) | −6.3 (20.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 55.5 (2.19) | 67.2 (2.65) | 117.8 (4.64) | 153.7 (6.05) | 189.3 (7.45) | 249.0 (9.80) | 208.0 (8.19) | 158.8 (6.25) | 286.9 (11.30) | 182.9 (7.20) | 79.7 (3.14) | 58.5 (2.30) | 1,807.3 (71.15) |
| Average rainy days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 5.9 | 7.2 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.9 | 12.3 | 11.7 | 8.9 | 11.5 | 9.4 | 6.1 | 6.4 | 107.7 |
| Average snowy days | 10.0 | 8.9 | 4.3 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 5.3 | 29 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 68 | 67 | 65 | 67 | 73 | 79 | 83 | 79 | 80 | 75 | 74 | 71 | 73 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 152.2 | 149.5 | 181.7 | 189.8 | 194.2 | 147.9 | 162.4 | 196.2 | 151.8 | 153.9 | 156.8 | 151.6 | 1,988 |
| Source:Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2] | |||||||||||||
Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Yokkaichi has increased steadily over the past 60 years.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 206,379 | — |
| 1970 | 241,409 | +17.0% |
| 1980 | 266,756 | +10.5% |
| 1990 | 285,015 | +6.8% |
| 2000 | 302,102 | +6.0% |
| 2010 | 307,807 | +1.9% |
The area around modern Yokkaichi has been settled since prehistoric times. NumerousKofun periodburial mounds have been discovered, and the area was one of the battle sites of theAsuka periodJinshin War. However, until the end of theHeian period, the area was sparsely settled, and the site of Yokkaichi was only a small port village. The area developed during theKamakura period and by theAzuchi–Momoyama period, the port was developed and a regular market was opened on the 4th, 14th, and 24th day each month. Thus, the city is named Yokkaichi: "yokka" means fourth day, and "ichi" means market. After theHonnō-ji Incident during which warlordOda Nobunaga was assassinated,Tokugawa Ieyasu fled from Yokkaichi port by sea to his castle atEdo. Under theTokugawa shogunate, Yokkaichi wastenryō territory controlled directly by theshōgun and administered by adaikan based at theYokkaichi Jin'ya. Throughout theEdo period, the area prospered asYokkaichi-juku, the forty-third station on theTōkaidō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto. However, the city was largely destroyed by theAnsei great earthquakes.
Following theMeiji Restoration, Yokkaichi Town was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889, and was designated the capital of Mie Prefecture. Yokkaichi's port advanced remarkably during theMeiji period, primarily under the guidance of Inaba Sanuemon, a resident merchant interested in increasing trade in the Yokkaichi and Ise area by modernizing the port facilities. Starting in 1872, the project took 12 years to complete due to typhoons and difficulties in financing the project. This led to the port city being designated an Official International Port in 1899[5] The primary trade items shipped through Yokkaichi were originally seed oil,Banko ware, and Ise tea; but now it has developed into a port that handles cotton, wool, glass, and heavy equipment. Yokkaichi was elevated to city status on August 1, 1897.
From 1939, Yokkaichi became a center for the chemical industry, with theImperial Japanese Navy constructing a large refinery near the port area. Yokkaichi was one of the first cities bombed by the United States duringWorld War II, when on April 18, 1942, the city was attacked by aircraft from theDoolittle Raid. During the final stages of World War II, on June 18, 1945, 89B-29 Superfortress bombers dropped 11,000 incendiary bombs destroying 35% of the urban area and killing 736 people. Thisattack on Yokkaichi was followed by another eight air raids until August 8, 1945, killing another 808 people.
From 1960 to 1972, the city residents suffered health problems caused by the emission ofSOx into the atmosphere from local petrochemical and chemical plants. In Japan, a disease calledYokkaichi zensoku (Yokkaichi asthma) derives its name from the city, and it is considered one of theFour Big Pollution Diseases of Japan.
Yokkaichi attainedspecial city status on November 1, 2000, with increased local autonomy.
On February 7, 2005, the town ofKusu (fromMie District) was merged into Yokkaichi.
Yokkaichi has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameral city council of 34 members. Yokkaichi contributes seven members to the Mie Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between Mie 2nd district and Mie 3rd district of thelower house of theDiet of Japan.
Yokkaichi is a manufacturing center that producesBanko ware (a kind ofearthenware andstoneware),[6]automobiles, cottontextiles,chemicals,tea,cement, and computer parts such asflash memory byKioxia andWestern Digital.
Yokkaichi has 38 public elementary schools and 22 public middle schools operated by the city government, and there are three private middle schools. The city also operates one special education school for the disabled. The city has ten public high schools operated by the Mie Prefectural Board of Education and five private high schools. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the disabled.
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Kintetsu Railway –Yunoyama Line
Yokkaichi Asunarou Railway –Utsube Line
Yokkaichi Asunarou Railway –Hachiōji Line
Sangi Railway – Sangi Line
Isewangan ExpresswayShin-Meishin Expressway
Higashi-Meihan Expressway
National Route 1
National Route 23
National Route 25
National Route 164
National Route 306
National Route 365
National Route 477Yokkaichi has two sister cities and one sister port.
Long Beach, California, United States, since October 7, 1963
Sydney Port, Australia, since October 24, 1968
Tianjin, China, since October 28, 1980[9]
Geographic data related toYokkaichi atOpenStreetMap| Special city |  | |
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