Osaka Prefecture

{{See also|Historic Sites of Osaka Prefecture|Osaka#History}}{{historical populations|13=1890|14=1,324,216|15=1903|16=1,823,456|17=1913|18=2,461,067|19=1920|20=2,587,847|21=1925|22=3,059,502|23=1930|24=3,540,017|25=1935|26=4,297,174|27=1940|28=4,792,966|29=1945|30=2,800,958|31=1950|32=3,857,047|33=1955|34=4,618,308|35=1960|36=5,504,746|37=1965|38=6,657,189|39=1970|40=7,620,480|41=1975|42=8,278,925|43=1980|44=8,473,446|45=1985|46=8,668,095|47=1990|48=8,734,516|49=1995|50=8,797,268|51=2000|52=8,805,081|53=2005|54=8,817,166|55=2010|56=8,865,245|57=2015|58=8,838,908|percentages=pagr|footnote=source:{{Cite web|url=https://www.stat.go.jp/english/index.html|title=Statistics Bureau Home Page|website=www.stat.go.jp}}}}

Prior to the Meiji Restoration, the modern-day area of Osaka Prefecture was split between Kawachi, Izumi,{{cite web|url=http://sitereports.nabunken.go.jp/5073|title=岸和田城跡|last=大阪府教育委員会|date=2002-03-29|website=Comprehensive Database of Archaeological Site Reports in Japan|access-date=2016-09-02}}{{cite web|url=http://sitereports.nabunken.go.jp/5094|title=海会寺|last=泉南市教育委員会|date=1987-09-21|website=Comprehensive Database of Archaeological Site Reports in Japan|access-date=2016-09-02}} and Settsu provinces.Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in {{Google books|p2QnPijAEmEC|p. 780|page=780}}

Osaka Prefecture was created on June 21, 1868, at the very beginning of the Meiji era.{{cite web|title=大阪のあゆみ (History of Osaka)|language=ja|url=http://www.pref.osaka.jp/j_intro/ayumi/ayumi1.html|access-date = 2007-03-12}}The creation of Osaka prefecture took place slight earlier than many other prefectures, that had to wait for abolition of the han system in 1871. During the instigation of Fuhanken Sanchisei in 1868, the prefecture received its suffix fu, designating it as a prefecture.

On September 1, 1956, the city of Osaka was promoted to a city designated by government ordinance and thereby divided into 24 wards.{{Cite web |title=City Devolution Models, Japan's Designated Cities {{!}} Japan Local Government Centre (JLGC) : London |url=https://www.jlgc.org.uk/en/news_letter/devolution-models-japans-designated-cities/ |access-date=February 8, 2025 |website=CLAIR}} Sakai became the second city in the prefecture to be promoted to a city designated by government ordinance on April 1, 2006, and was divided into seven wards.{{Cite web |title=Our City 堺市 |url=https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/foreign-language/english/visitors/about/ourcity/index.html |access-date=February 8, 2025}}

In 2000, Fusae Ota became Japan's first female governor when she replaced Knock Yokoyama, who resigned after prosecution for sexual harassment.Tolbert, Kathryn. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPcap/2000-02/08/062r-020800-idx.html "Election of First Female Governor Boosts Japan's Ruling Party"], The Washington Post, February 8, 2000. Tōru Hashimoto, previously famous as a counselor on television, was elected in 2008 at the age of 38, becoming the youngest governor in Japan.{{cite news |last=Harding |first=Robin |date=June 11, 2018 |title=Battle to remodel Osaka is legacy of Japan's Trump |url=https://www.ft.com/content/1d7c89e4-5dec-11e8-ab47-8fd33f423c09 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/1d7c89e4-5dec-11e8-ab47-8fd33f423c09 |archive-date=2022-12-10 |url-access=subscription |work=The Financial Times |accessdate=October 5, 2021}}

On June 18, 2018, an earthquake struck the northern region of the prefecture. It killed 4 people and caused minor damage across Greater Osaka.{{cite news |last1=Kaneko |first1=Kaori |last2=Foster |first2=Malcolm |date=June 18, 2018 |title=Magnitude 6.1 quake in Japan's Osaka area kills four, halts factories |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-quake/magnitude-6-1-quake-in-japans-osaka-area-kills-four-halts-factories-idUSKBN1JD13F |publisher=Reuters |accessdate=October 5, 2021}}

{{main|Osaka Metropolis plan}}

In 2010, the Osaka Restoration Association was created with backing by Governor Tōru Hashimoto, with hopes of reforming Osaka Prefecture into the Osaka Metropolis and merging with the City of Osaka. In the 2011 local elections, the association was able to win the majority of the prefectural seats and Hashimoto was elected as mayor of Osaka.

A referendum on the issue was held in 2015 and was defeated with 50.38% of voters opposed to the plan. A second referendum in 2020 was rejected by 50.6% of voters.{{cite news |last=Johnston |first=Eric |date=November 2, 2020 |title=Osaka referendum defeat raises questions about future of city's politics |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/11/02/national/politics-diplomacy/osaka-referendum-future/ |work=The Japan Times |url-access=registration |accessdate=October 5, 2021}}

Osaka Prefecture neighbors the prefectures of Hyōgo and Kyoto in the north, Nara in the east and Wakayama in the south. The Yodo and Yamato Rivers flow through the prefecture.

Prior to the construction of Kansai International Airport, Osaka was the smallest prefecture in Japan. The artificial island on which the airport was built added enough area to make it slightly larger than Kagawa Prefecture.[http://www.gsi.go.jp/WNEW/PRESS-RELEASE/1999/0129.htm "平成10年全国都道府県市区町村の面積の公表について(Official announcement on the national territory and area of 1998, by prefectures, cities, districts, towns and villages)"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030611034250/http://www.gsi.go.jp/WNEW/PRESS-RELEASE/1999/0129.htm |date=2003-06-11 }}, Geographical Survey Institute, Government of Japan, January 29, 1999.[http://www.alpsmap.co.jp/column/column017.html "コラム Vol.017 全国都道府県市区町村面積調 (Column: "National Area Investigation" vol.017)"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928104256/http://www.alpsmap.co.jp/column/column017.html |date=2007-09-28 }}, Alps Mapping K.K., March 8, 2001.

As of 1 April 2012, 11% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely Kongō-Ikoma-Kisen and Meiji no Mori Minō Quasi-National Parks and Hokusetsu and Hannan-Misaki Prefectural Natural Parks.{{cite web |url=http://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/nps/park/doc/files/np_6.pdf |title=General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture |publisher=Ministry of the Environment |access-date=9 August 2012}}

{{See also|List of cities in Osaka Prefecture by population}}File:Map of Osaka Prefecture Ja.svg

File:Osaka Prefectural Government Main Building view from Osaka Castle.jpg

File:Daisenryo Kofun zenkei-2.jpg]]

File:View of Takatsuki city 2.jpg

Since 2005, Osaka consists of 43 municipalities: 33 cities, nine towns and one village. As of 2021, the 33 cities include two designated major cities, seven core cities and two (transitional) special case cities (after legal abolition in 2015, to be replaced with the core city system in the 2020s).

{{main|List of mergers in Osaka Prefecture}}

After the modern reactivation of districts in 1878/79, Osaka, including Sakai which was only merged into Osaka in 1881, consisted of 5 urban districts (-ku) and 27 rural districts (-gun), excluding 15 districts in Yamato Province which was later separated from Osaka as Nara Prefecture in 1887. When the prefectures were subdivided into modern municipalities in 1889, the five urban districts were turned into two district-independent cities: Osaka City and Sakai City, and Osaka's [rural] districts were subdivided into 12 towns and 310 villages. After Osaka City had absorbed many surrounding municipalities in the interwar/Taishō period, the number of municipalities in Osaka had already dropped to 149 by 1953. The Great Shōwa mergers of the 1950s reduced the total to 47 by 1961, including 26 cities by then. The current total of 43 was reached during the Great Heisei mergers in 2005.

Image:Osaka umeda06s3200.jpg

Image:Osaka Garden City Osaka Japan01-r.jpg

Image:Osaka Castle.jpg

File:Osaka Business Park, Southwest view from Osaka Castle 20250111.jpg

Image:USJ 5years.JPG]]

Image:Osaka Kansai Int'l Airport Terminal1 (17567741930).jpg]]

Image:2018 Umeda Sky Building.jpg]]

Image:Osaka neon.jpg man in Dōtonbori (middle-left)]]

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, seventh in the nation.{{cite web|title=平成16年度の県民経済計算について (Prefectural Economy for the fiscal year 2004 based on 93SNA) Cabinet Office, Government of Japan|language=ja|url=http://www.esri.cao.go.jp/jp/sna/kenmin/h16/kenmin1.pdf|access-date = 2007-03-13 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070614232333/http://www.esri.cao.go.jp/jp/sna/kenmin/h16/kenmin1.pdf |archive-date = 2007-06-14}} Commercial sales the same year was ¥60.1 trillion.{{cite web|title=大阪府民経済計算 (Osaka Prefectural Economy based on 93SNA) Osaka Prefectural Government|language=ja|url=http://www.pref.osaka.jp/aid/naniwa/naniwa2007/n2007-2-5.pdf|access-date = 2007-03-13 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070614232402/http://www.pref.osaka.jp/aid/naniwa/naniwa2007/n2007-2-5.pdf |archive-date = 2007-06-14}}

Overshadowed by such globally renowned electronics giants as Panasonic 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 was 330,737, accounting for 99.6% of the total number of businesses in the prefecture.{{cite web

|title=2006 White Paper on Small and Medium Enterprises in Japan, Japan Small Business Research Institute (Japan)

|url=http://www.chusho.meti.go.jp/pamflet/hakusyo/h18/download/2006hakusho_eng.pdf

|access-date=2007-03-13

|archive-date=2007-03-23

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070323003306/http://www.chusho.meti.go.jp/pamflet/hakusyo/h18/download/2006hakusho_eng.pdf

|url-status=dead

}} While this proportion is similar to other prefectures (the average nationwide was 99.7%), the manufactured output of the SMEs amounted to 65.4% of the total within the prefecture, a rate significantly higher than Tokyo's 55.5%, or Kanagawa's 38.4%.{{cite web|title=なにわの経済データ (The Naniwa Economy Data)|language=ja|url=http://www.pref.osaka.jp/aid/naniwa/naniwa2007/n2007-2-3.pdf|access-date = 2007-03-13 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070614232332/http://www.pref.osaka.jp/aid/naniwa/naniwa2007/n2007-2-3.pdf |archive-date = 2007-06-14}} One model from Osaka of serving the public interest and restimulating the regional economy, combined with industry-education cooperation efforts, is the Astro-Technology SOHLA,{{cite web|title=Astro-Technology SOHLA|language=ja|url=http://www.sohla.com/index.php|access-date=2007-03-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309013816/http://www.sohla.com/index.php|archive-date=2007-03-09|url-status=dead}} with its artificial satellite project.{{cite web |title=Japan Advertising Council |url=http://www.ad-c.or.jp/eng/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070301034145/http://www.ad-c.or.jp/eng/index.html |archive-date=2007-03-01 |access-date=2007-03-14}} For details on the campaign featuring SOHLA, navigate through the Japanese page to the 2003 campaign listing, at entry "東大阪の人工衛星" (Higashiosaka's Satellite) [http://www.ad-c.or.jp/campaign/work/2003/index.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312040832/http://www.ad-c.or.jp/campaign/work/2003/index.html|date=2007-03-12}} Having originally started from a gathering of Higashiosaka based SMEs, Astro-Technology SOHLA has not only grown into a Kansai region-wide group but has also won support from the government, through technology and material support from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA),{{cite web|title="Smaller firms build a satellite" City of Osaka, Chicago Office|url=http://www.osakacity.org/news/newsItem.aspx?news=244|access-date=2007-03-14|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929124433/http://www.osakacity.org/news/newsItem.aspx?news=244|archive-date=2007-09-29}} and financial support from NEDO.The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization{{cite web|title="Study of PETSAT" NEDO, 2005|language=ja, en|url=http://www.nedo.go.jp/kibanbu/saitaku/15h/houkokusho/16higasiosaka.pdf|access-date=2007-03-14|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614232331/http://www.nedo.go.jp/kibanbu/saitaku/15h/houkokusho/16higasiosaka.pdf|archive-date=2007-06-14}}

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.

{{wide image|Osaka_Dusk_Skyline.png|800px|Osaka city skyline at dusk viewed from the Umeda Sky Building}}

{{main|Category:Companies based in Osaka Prefecture}}

{{main|Hanshin Industrial Region|Kansai Science City}}

File:Osaka prefecture population pyramid in 2020.svg

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.{{cite web | title = Table 1: 大阪府の人口の推移 ( Population Change of Osaka Prefecture) | publisher = Osaka Prefectural Government | url = http://www.pref.osaka.jp/toukei/kokucho/gaiyou1.html | language = ja | access-date = 2007-03-13 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070105142219/http://www.pref.osaka.jp/toukei/kokucho/gaiyou1.html |archive-date = 2007-01-05}}

As of 2022 this prefecture has about 93,000 ethnic Korean persons, the largest such population of any prefecture in Japan.{{Cite web |title=大阪府の国籍・地域（出身地）別 在留外国人数 |url=https://www.pref.osaka.lg.jp/documents/35740/2022_kokuseki_betsu.pdf |access-date=2024-07-14}} Osaka City. As of 2013 most ethnic Korean children attend ordinary Japanese public schools, although some Korean schools operated by the Chongryon and classes for ethnic Koreans had opened in the prefecture. During the Japanese rule of Korea many ethnic Koreans came to the Osaka area to look for work. Many people from Jeju came to the Osaka area after a 1922 ferry line between Osaka and Jeju opened. During World War II Japanese authorities forced additional ethnic Koreans to move to the Osaka area.Aoki, Eriko. "Korean children, textbooks, and educational practices in Japanese primary schools" (Chapter 8). In: Ryang, Sonia. Koreans in Japan: Critical Voices from the Margin (Routledge Studies in Asia's Transformations). Routledge, October 8, 2013. {{ISBN|1136353054}}, 9781136353055. Start: p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=OXBHAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA157 157]. CITED: p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=OXBHAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA166 166].

• Shitennō-ji
• Kanshin-ji
• Sumiyoshi Taisha

• National Museum of Ethnology, Japan [http://www.minpaku.ac.jp/english/]
• Open-Air Museum of Old Japanese Farm Houses (Hattori Ryokuchi Park)
• OSTEC (Osaka Science and Technology Center) Exhibition Hall
• Japan Folk Crafts Museum, Osaka [http://www.mingeikan-osaka.or.jp/ 大阪日本民芸館]

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.

• Hagoromo University of International Studies (Sakai)
• Hannan University (Matsubara)
• Kansai Gaidai University (Hirakata) (Kansai University of Foreign Studies)
• Kansai Medical University (Hirakata, Osaka)
• Kansai University (Suita, Takatsuki, Osaka city)
• Kindai University (Higashiosaka)
• Osaka University (Toyonaka and Suita)
• Osaka University of Arts (Kanan)
• Osaka University of Economics (Osaka)
• former Osaka University of Foreign Studies (Minoh)
• Osaka Kyoiku University (Kashiwara)
• Osaka City University (Osaka city)
• Osaka Prefecture University (Sakai)
• Osaka International Educational University (Moriguchi)
• Osaka University of Health and Sport sciences (Kumatori)
• Osaka University of Commerce (Higashiosaka)
• Osaka University of Economic and Law (Yao)
• Osaka College of Music (Toyonaka)
• Osaka Electro Communication University (Neyagawa)
• Osaka Gakuin University (Suita)
• Otemon Gakuin University (Ibaraki)
• Setsunan University (Neyagawa)
• St Andrews University (Momoyama Gakuin University) (Izumi)
• Taisei Gakuin University (Mihara, Sakai)
• Tezukayama Gakuin University (Ōsakasayama, Sakai)

• The Expo Commemoration Park (Suita) held the Expo '70. It is about 260 ha and includes a Japanese garden, National Museum of Art, Osaka, and the amusement park "Expoland".
• Hattori Ryokuchi Park (Toyonaka), about 150 ha.
• Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park (Osaka), about 100 ha. The horticulture exposition of Expo '90 was held here.[http://www.expo90.jp/english/index.html 財団法人 国際花と緑の博覧会記念協会：English：Expo'90 Foundation] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021171705/http://www.expo90.jp/english/index.html |date=2011-10-21 }}
• Nagai Park (Osaka), about 66 ha. The IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in 2007 at Nagai Stadium in this park.
• Osaka Castle Park (Osaka), about 106 ha.
• Nakanoshima Park (Osaka), housing the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, public hall, Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library, and the city hall of Osaka.
• Yamadaike Park (Osaka), about 73.7 ha.
• Osaka Prefectural Park (Hirakata), operated by Osaka Prefecture.{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}}

• JR Central
• Tokaido Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka Station)
• JR West
• Sanyo Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka Station)
• Osaka Loop Line
• Osaka Higashi Line
• Tokaido Main Line
• JR Kyoto Line
• JR Kobe Line
• Gakkentoshi Line
• Yamatoji Line
• Hanwa Line
• JR Tozai Line
• JR Yumesaki Line
• Kansai Airport Line
• Osaka Metro
• Midosuji Line
• Tanimachi Line
• Yotsubashi Line
• Chuo Line
• Sennichimae Line
• Sakaisuji Line
• Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line
• Imazatosuji Line
• Keihan Electric Railway
• Keihan Main Line
• Keihan Nakanoshima Line
• Keihan Katano Line
• Kintetsu
• Osaka Line
• Nara Line
• Shigi Line
• Keihanna Line
• Minami Osaka Line
• Domyoji Line
• Nagano Line
• Hankyu
• Hankyu Kyoto Line
• Hankyu Senri Line
• Hankyu Takarazuka Line
• Hankyu Minoo Line
• Hankyu Kobe Line
• Nose Electric Railway
• Hanshin Electric Railway
• Hanshin Main Line
• Hanshin Namba Line
• Nankai Electric Railway
• Nankai Main Line
• Takashinohama Line
• Tanagawa Line
• Airport Line
• Koya Line
• Semboku Line
• Mizuma Railway
• Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway

• Osaka Monorail
• Nanko Port Town Line

File:Map of license plates in Osaka Japan.svg in Osaka:
{{color box|aec7e8}} 大阪 (Ōsaka) in Northern Osaka
{{color box|ffbb78}} なにわ (Naniwa) in Osaka City, named Naniwa as Imperial capital in antiquity
{{color box|98df8a}} 和泉 (Izumi) in Southern Osaka≈Izumi Province+Southern Kawachi
{{color box|ff9896}} 堺 (Sakai) in Sakai City]]

{{div col}}

• Meishin Expressway
• Chugoku Expressway
• Hanshin Expressway
• Nishi-Meihan Expressway
• Second Keihan Highway
• Hanwa Expressway
• Second Hanna Highway
• Minami Hanna Highway

{{div col end}}

{{div col}}

• National Route 1
• National Route 2
• National Route 25
• National Route 26
• National Route 43
• National Route 163
• National Route 165
• National Route 166
• National Route 168
• National Route 170
• National Route 171
• National Route 173
• National Route 176
• National Route 307
• National Route 308
• National Route 309
• National Route 310
• National Route 371
• National Route 423
• National Route 477
• National Route 479
• National Route 480
• National Route 481

{{div col end}}

• Osaka International Airport - Domestic flights
• Kansai International Airport - International and domestic flights

Osaka Prefecture has sister region relationships with:{{cite web |title=Osaka's sister regions |url=https://www.pref.osaka.lg.jp/annai/qa/detail.php?recid=672 |website=www.pref.osaka.lg.jp |access-date=2023-08-07 |language=ja}}

• {{flagicon|CHN}} Shanghai, China (1980)
• {{flagicon|IDN}} East Java, Indonesia (1984)
• {{flagicon|NED}} Rotterdam, Netherlands (1984)
• {{flagicon|FRA}} Val-d'Oise, France (1987)
• {{flagicon|AUS}} Queensland, Australia (1988)
• {{flagicon|RUS}} Primorsky Krai, Russia (1992)
• {{flagicon|USA}} California, United States (1994)
• {{flagicon|ITA}} Lombardy, Italy (2002)
• {{flagicon|UAE}} Dubai, United Arab Emirates (2002)
• {{flagicon|VIE}} Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2007)

File:Municipal Suita Stadium.JPG]]

The sports teams listed below are based in Osaka.

• Cerezo Osaka (J1 League)
• FC Osaka (J3 League)
• Gamba Osaka (J1 League)

• Orix Buffaloes
• Hanshin Tigers

• Osaka Evessa

• Osaka Blazers Sakai
• Suntory Sunbirds
• Panasonic Panthers

• Red Hurricanes Osaka
• Hanazono Liners

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.

• List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan
• Osaka Culture Prize
• Osaka Eco Agricultural Products
• Osaka Metropolis plan
• Politics of Osaka

{{reflist}}

• Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC Japan encyclopedia.] Cambridge: Harvard University Press. {{ISBN|978-0-674-01753-5}}; [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/58053128?referer=di&ht=edition OCLC 58053128]

{{commons category|Osaka prefecture}}

• [http://www.pref.osaka.jp/en/index.html Official Osaka Prefecture homepage]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20030416054845/http://www.octb.jp/english/ Osaka Tourism & Convention Guidance homepage]
• [http://sitereports.nabunken.go.jp/en Comprehensive Database of Archaeological Site Reports in Japan]

{{Osaka}}

{{Regions and administrative divisions of Japan}}

{{Authority control}}

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Category:Kansai region

Category:Prefectures of Japan