Encyclopedia
The Japanese city of is the capital of
Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the
Chugoku region of western
Honshu, the largest of
Japan's islands. Geographical location . It is most known throughout the world as the first city in history subjected to
nuclear warfare with the
atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Hiroshima gained municipality status on April 1, 1889 and was designated on April 1, 1980 by government ordinance. The city's current mayor is
Tadatoshi Akiba who assumed the office on February 23, 1999.
History
Hiroshima was founded in 1589, on the coast of the
Seto Inland Sea, and became a major urban center during the Meiji period. The city is located on the broad, flat delta of the Ota River, which has 7 channel outlets dividing the city into six islands which project into Hiroshima Bay. The city is almost entirely flat and only slightly above sea level; to the northwest and northeast of the city, some hills rise to 700 feet.
Hiroshima was founded by Mori Motonari as his capital. About a half century later, after the
Battle of Sekigahara, his grandson and the leader of the West Army Mori Terumoto was on the losing side. The winner
Tokugawa Ieyasu deprived Mori Terumoto of most of his fiefs including Hiroshima and gave
Aki province to another daimyo who had supported him.
Finally Asano was appointed the daimyo of this area and Hiroshima served as the capital of Hiroshima han during the
Edo period. After the han was abolished the city became the capital of
Hiroshima prefecture.
Atomic bombing
During the First Sino-Japanese War, Hiroshima emerged as a major supply and
logistics base for the Japanese military. This role continued until
World War II, making it an important military target for hostile forces.
On August 6, 1945 the
nuclear weapon Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima by
Enola Gay is the B-29 Superfortress [i] bomber [i] that dropped "Little Boy [i]", the first atomic bomb [i] ...
, a
U.S. Air Force B-29 bomber which was altered specifically to hold the bomb, killing directly an estimated 80,000 people and heavily damaging 80% of the city. In the following months, an estimated 60,000 more people died from injuries or
radiation poisoning. Since 1945, several thousand more
hibakusha have died of illnesses caused by the bomb. It was the second such device to be detonated , and the first ever to be used in military action. It has been claimed that the American
atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were major factors that led to the Japanese surrender, and the official end of World War II. However, many American leaders disagree, including General McArthur. See
http://www.doug-long.com/quotes.htm
that includes "When I asked General MacArthur about the decision to drop the bomb, I was surprised to learn he had not even been consulted. What, I asked, would his advice have been? He replied that he saw no military justification for the dropping of the bomb. The war might have ended weeks earlier, he said, if the United States had agreed, as it later did anyway, to the retention of the institution of the emperor." Ref.: Norman Cousins, The Pathology of Power, pg. 65, 70-71.
After the nuclear attack, Hiroshima was rebuilt as a “peace memorial city”, and the closest surviving building to the location of the bomb's detonation was designated the "Atomic Bomb Dome," a part of the
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The city government continues to advocate the abolition of
nuclear weapons, and has advocated more broadly for
world peace. Since 1968 a formal letter of protest has been issued, by the city of Hiroshima, every time a nuclear explosive test has been conducted anywhere in the world.
After the war
Hiroshima was rebuilt after the war, with new modern buildings rising all over the city. Several US civic leaders and scholars were consulted about the rebuilding plan. In 1949, Hiroshima was proclaimed a City of Peace by the
Japanese parliament, at the initiative of its mayor, Shinzo Hamai . As a result, the city of Hiroshima received more international attention as a desirable location for holding international conferences on peace as well as social issues. As part of that effort, the Hiroshima Interpreters' and Guide's Association was established in 1992 in order to facilitate translation services for conferences, and the Hiroshima Peace Institute was established in 1998 within the Hiroshima University. In 1994, the city of Hiroshima hosted the
Asian Games.
While many other Japanese cities had abandoned their streetcar systems by 1980s , Hiroshima has retained its streetcar systems. This is because the construction of subway was too expensive for the city to build, as it is located on a delta. During 1960s, Hiroshima Electric Railway, or "Hiroden," bought extra streetcars from other Japanese. Since most of such street cars retain their original appearance, the streetcar system is called "Moving Museum" by some railroad buff, although they are now being replaced by newer streetcars. Of four streetcars that survived the war, two of them are still in operation as of July 2006.
Attractions
Hiroshima's rebuilt castle houses a
museum of life in the
Edo period.
Itsukushima Shrine is in the town of
Miyajima, on the island of Itsukushima, across from Hiroshima. Its large red "floating" gate is one of the best known sights of Japan. Although it lies outside the city of Hiroshima, it is accessible by streetcar or railroad from the central train station.
Hiroshima is known for its version of
okonomiyaki, called "Hiroshima-yaki" or "Hiroshima pancake." The Hiroshima version of okonomiyaki is unique for its inclusion of
yakisoba or
udon noodles.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which includes the
Hiroshima Peace Memorial, brings many visitors from all around the world, especially around the time of the annual commemoration. Other attractions include Shukkei-en and Mitaki-dera.
Sports
Hiroshima is home to several professional sports teams.
Baseball fans immediately recognize the city as the home of the
Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Six-time champions of Japan's
Central League, the team has gone on to win the
Japan Series three times.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima is the city's
J. League football team.
Wards
Hiroshima has 8 wards :
| Ward | Population | Area | Density
| Comments |
|---|
| Aki-ku | 76,858 | 94.01 | 818 | Population as of November 1 2005 |
| Asakita-ku | 156,516 | 353.35 | 443 | Population as of April 1 2005 |
| Asaminami-ku | 218,107 | 117.19 | 1,861 |
| Higashi-ku | 121,589 | 39.38 | 3,088 |
| Minami-ku | 137,151 | 26.09 | 5,257 |
| Naka-ku | 124,499 | 15.34 | 8,116 |
| Nishi-ku | 183,786 | 35.67 | 5,152 |
| Saeki-ku | 135,196 | 223.98 | 604 |
Demographics
As of 2003, the city has an estimated
population of 1,136,684 and the
density of 1532.44 persons per km˛. The total area is 741.75 km˛.
Industry
Mazda Motor Company, now controlled by the
Ford Motor Company, is by far Hiroshima's dominant company. Mazda makes many models in Hiroshima for worldwide export, including the popular
MX-5/Miata and
Mazda RX-8. The Mazda CX-7 is scheduled to be built there, starting in early 2006. Other Mazda factories are in
Hofu and
Flat Rock, Michigan.
Doing Business in Hiroshima
Hiroshima is the center of industry for the Chugoku-
Shikoku region, and is by and large centered along the coastal areas. The Chugoku area has a GDP of approximately 270 billion, making it economically larger than many countries including
Switzerland,
Belgium,
Sweden and
Austria. Its largest industry is the manufacturing industry with core industries being the production of cars car parts and industrial equipment. General machinery and equipment also account for a large portion of exports. Because these industries require research and design capapilities, it has also had the offshoot that Hiroshima has many innovative companies actively engaged in new growth fields Many of these companies hold the top market shares in Japan and the world, or are alone in their particular field. Tertiary industries in the wholesale and retail areas are also very developed.
Another result of the concentration of industry is an accumulation of skilled personnel and fundamental technologies. This is considered by business to be a major reason for location in Hiroshima. Business setup costs are also much lower than other large cities in the country and there is a comprehensive system of tax breaks, etc on offer for businesses which locate in Hiroshima. This is especially true of two projects: the Hiroshima Station Urban Development District and the Seifu Shinto area which offer capital installments , tax breaks and employee subsidies.
Seifu Shinto which translates as West wind, New town is the largest construction project in the region and is an attempt to build "a city within a city." It is attempting to design from the ground up a place to work, play, relax and live.
Hiroshima has long been a port city and Hiroshima port or Hiroshima International Airport can be used for the transportation of goods.
As for workers, the lifestyle is considered to be good and Hiroshima recently made it onto Lonely Planet's list of the top cities in the world. Commuting times rank amongst the shortest in Japan and the cost of living is lower than other large cities in Japan such as
Tokyo,
Osaka,
Kyoto or
Fukuoka.
Information on all these matters can be received from Hiroshimas' Economic Affairs Bureau and is available in either English or Japanese
Sister cities
Hiroshima has several
sister cities:
References
- Kowner, Rotem . Hiroshima. In M. Ember & C. Ember , Encyclopedia of Urban Cultures, 4 vols. . Danbury : Grolier. ISBN 0-7172-56987
Further reading
- Pacific War Research Society, Japan's Longest Day , the internal Japanese account of the surrender and how it was almost thwarted by fanatic soldiers who attempted a coup against the Emperor.
- - A Newscientist report on recent findings suggesting Japan was looking for peace, and US' ulterior motive for dropping the bomb.
- Richard B. Frank, Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire , a thorough analysis of all the available contemporaneous intel from the perspectives of the various participants during the last months of the war. Uses newly declassified US military intelligence records and other primary sources from many countries to make the case that bombing had a huge net saving of lives, Japanese and American, over an invasion. The author shows why the Japanese were preparing to continue the fight for an indefinite period and why they expected that a bloody defense of their main islands would lead to something less than unconditional surrender and a continuation of their existing government.
- Robert Jungk, Children of the Ashes, 1st Eng. ed. 1961
- Gar Alperovitz, The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb, ISBN 0-679-76285-X
- John Hersey, Hiroshima, ISBN 0-679-72103-7
- Masuji Ibuse, Black Rain, ISBN 0-87011-364-X
- Hara Tamiki, Summer Flowers ISBN 0-691-00837-X
See also
External links
- in English
- in English
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- - The City of Hiroshima projects for male volunteers in the Red Cross Hiroshima Hospital and Kummanoto Hospital, caring for survivors of the atomic bomb
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- Travel and Event Guide
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- , analysis of the conflicting estimates
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- Comprehensive information on the history, and political and social implications of the US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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