Mayor: Kunio Hiramatsu
Country: Japan
Country Location: East Asia
Country Population: 127,156,000
City Population: 2,653,981
Geography: Situated along the western coast of Japan
Industry: Information and Telecommunications, Robot Technology, Medicine and Welfare, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology, Environmental initiatives
Flag Description: Red circle representing the rising sun.
Did you know: The following were all started in Osaka: In 1964, Sharp developed and introduced the world's first all-transistor-diode electronic desktop calculator CS-10A. In 1958 Momofuku Ando invented a new fry and dry process and in 1971 created the "CupNoodle" now enjoyed by people all over the world. In 1958, Yoshiaki Shiraishi opened the first kaiten zushi (conveyor belt sushi restaurant) in Osaka. Currently, this type of restaurant holds an annual market of 240 billion yen in Japan.
MORE ABOUT OSAKA: Osaka Prefecture, located at the approximate center of Japan, is divided into 33 cities, 10 towns, and 1 village.
Covering an area of approximately 1,890 square kilometers, or only 0.5% of the nation’s entire land area, Osaka is the second smallest prefecture. However, it has a population of 8.8 million, or 7% of the entire population, making it the second most populous prefecture after Tokyo. Furthermore, approximately 210,000 foreigners, or 15.6% of all foreigners registered in Japan reside in Osaka.
Geographically Osaka extends from north to south, with a slight curve, open toward Osaka Bay on the west and surrounded by mountains on the other three sides. The weather is generally mild, with four distinct seasons. The annual average temperature is 61.3F, and average precipitation is 1,318mm.
2010
March 23
The Chicago Community Trust was sought to partner with Chicago Sister Cities International Program's Osaka Social Services Committee and underwrite the 2010 Osaka/Chicago Social Service Exchange Program.