A core city (中核市, Chūkakushi^?) is a class of Japanese city created by the first clause of Article 252, Section 22 of the Local Autonomy Law of Japan. Core cities are delegated many functions normally carried out by prefectural governments, but not as many as Designated Cities. To become a candidate for core city status, a city must satisfy the following conditions: Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total... The English Core Cities Group is an association of eight large regional cities in England: Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nottingham and Sheffield. ... A city ) is a local administrative unit in Japan. ... The Local Autonomy Law (地方自治法 Chihō-jichi-hō) of Japan was passed as Law No. ... A position of each city designated by government ordinance A city designated by government ordinance (a designated city or Government Ordinance City (Japanese: 政令指定都市 seirei shitei toshi or 政令市 seirei shi)) is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000; has important economic and industrial functions; and that is... Look up city, City in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

1. A population between 300,000 and 500,000.
2. A total area of at least 100 km².

Application for designation is made by a city with the approval of both the city and prefectural assemblies. The prefectures of Japan are the countrys 47 sub-national jurisdictions: one metropolis (都 to), Tokyo; one circuit (道 dō), Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures (府 fu), Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures (県 ken). ...

List of current core cities

As of 2006, 37 cities have been designated core cities:

• April 1, 1996
  • Utsunomiya, Tochigi
  • Toyama, Toyama
  • Kanazawa, Ishikawa
  • Gifu, Gifu
  • Himeji, Hyōgo
  • Okayama, Okayama
  • Kumamoto, Kumamoto
  • Kagoshima, Kagoshima
• April 1, 1997
  • Akita, Akita
  • Kōriyama, Fukushima
  • Wakayama, Wakayama
  • Nagasaki, Nagasaki
  • Ōita, Ōita
• April 1, 1998
  • Toyota, Aichi
  • Fukuyama, Hiroshima
  • Kōchi, Kōchi
  • Miyazaki, Miyazaki
• April 1, 1999
  • Iwaki, Fukushima
  • Nagano, Nagano
  • Toyohashi, Aichi
  • Takamatsu, Kagawa
• April 1, 2000
  • Asahikawa, Hokkaidō
  • Matsuyama, Ehime
• April 1, 2001
  • Yokosuka, Kanagawa
• April 1, 2002
  • Nara, Nara
  • Kurashiki, Okayama
• April 1, 2003
  • Kawagoe, Saitama
  • Funabashi, Chiba
  • Sagamihara, Kanagawa
  • Okazaki, Aichi
  • Takatsuki, Osaka
• April 1, 2005
  • Toyama, Toyama (reclassified after merger with Ōsawano, Ōyama, Yatsuo, Fuchū, Yamada, and Hosoiri)
  • Higashiōsaka, Osaka
• October 1, 2005
  • Hakodate, Hokkaidō
  • Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi
• October 1, 2006
  • Aomori, Aomori

is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Utsunomiya (Japanese: 宇都宮市; -shi) is the capital and the most populous city of Tochigi, Japan. ... Toyama Castle in Spring Toyama (富山市; -shi) is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan. ... Kanazawa (金沢市; -shi) is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan. ... The city of Gifu ) is located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. ... Himeji (Japanese: 姫路市, Himeji-shi) is a city located in Hyōgo prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. ... Okayama airport Okayama (岡山市; -shi) is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the ChÅ«goku region of Japan. ... Kumamoto (熊本市; -shi) is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of KyÅ«shÅ«, Japan. ... Kagoshima (鹿児島市; -shi) is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture at the southwest tip of the Kyushu island of Japan. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ... This is the current Japanese collaboration of the week! Please help improve it to featured article standard. ... Kōriyama (郡山市; -shi) is a city located in Fukushima, Japan. ... Wakayama Castle Wakayama (和歌山市 -shi) is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. ... Nagasaki (Japanese: 長崎市, Nagasaki-shi  ) is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan. ... ÅŒita ) is the capital city of ÅŒita Prefecture on the Kyushu island of Japan. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Toyota (豊田市; -shi), or Toyota City, is a city located in the Mikawa region of Aichi, Japan, ESE of Nagoya. ... Fukuyama (福山市; -shi) is a city located in Hiroshima, Japan. ... Obiyamachi in downtown Kochi Kōchi (高知市 Kōchi-shi) is the capital city of Kochi Prefecture on the Shikoku island of Japan. ... Miyazaki (宮崎市; -shi) is the capital city of Miyazaki Prefecture on Kyushu island of Japan. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the city in Fukushima. ... Nagano (長野市, Nagano-shi) is the capital city of Nagano Prefecture, situated in the northern part of the prefecture near the junction of the Chikuma River and the Sai River, on the main island of HonshÅ«, Japan. ... Toyohashi (豊橋市; -shi) is a city located in Aichi, Japan. ... Takamatsu (高松市; -shi lit. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Asahikawa (旭川市; -shi) is a city located in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan. ... Matsuyama ) is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku island of Japan. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Yokosuka (Japanese: 横須賀市; -shi) is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Nara ) is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. ... Kurashiki (倉敷市; -shi) is a historic city located to the west of Okayama, Japan, sitting on the Takahashi River, on the coast of the Inland Sea. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 2003 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Kawagoes shops, temples and tower retain a feeling of the Edo period Kawagoe (川越市) is a city located in Saitama, Japan and is about a 30-minute train ride from Tokyo. ... Funabashi ) is a city located in Chiba, Japan. ... Sagamihara City Hall Sagamihara (Japanese: 相模原市 -shi) is a bedroom city located in north central Kanagawa, bordering Tokyo. ... Okazaki (岡崎市; -shi) is a city located in Aichi Prefecture on the main island of Japan. ... , Takatsuki (高槻市; -shi) is a city located in Osaka, Japan. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Toyama Castle in Spring Toyama (富山市; -shi) is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan. ... Yatsuo (八尾町; -machi) is a town located in Nei District, Toyama, Japan. ... Fuchū (婦中町; -machi) is a town located in Nei District, Toyama, Japan. ... Yamada (山田村; -mura) is a village located in Nei District, Toyama, Japan. ... Hosoiri (細入村; -mura) is a village located in Nei District, Toyama, Japan. ... Higashiōsaka (東大阪市; -shi, East Osaka) is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hakodate City Hall Hakodate (函館市; -shi) is a city and port located in Oshima, Hokkaido, Japan. ... Shimonoseki ) is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Aomori (Japanese: ; Aomori-shi) is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture (青森県; Aomori-ken), the north end of HonshÅ«. The city faces Mutsu Bay connecting Tsugaru Channel and the Hakkoda Mountains lie in the southern part of Aomori. ...

Former core cities

• Shizuoka, Shizuoka

  Designated on April 1, 1996, redesignated as a core city after the former cities of Shimizu and Shizuoka merged to form the new city of Shizuoka on April 1, 2003, achieved the status of designated city in 2005.

• Sakai, Osaka

  Designated on April 1, 1996, achieved the status of designated city in 2006.

• Niigata, Niigata
• Hamamatsu, Shizuoka

  Both designated on April 1, 1996, achieved the status of designated city in 2007.

Shizuoka (静岡市; -shi) is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. ... Shimizu-ku (清水区) is a ward of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan. ... Shizuoka (静岡市; -shi) is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. ... Shizuoka (静岡市; -shi) is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 2003 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A city designated by government ordinance (a designated city or Government Ordinance City (Japanese: 政令指定都市 seirei shitei toshi or 政令市 seirei shi)) is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000; has important economic and industrial functions; and that is considered a major city. The classification was created by... Sakai (堺市; -shi) is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. ... A city designated by government ordinance (a designated city or Government Ordinance City (Japanese: 政令指定都市 seirei shitei toshi or 政令市 seirei shi)) is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000; has important economic and industrial functions; and that is considered a major city. The classification was created by... Niigata ) is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. ... Hamamatsu (浜松市) is a city located in western Shizuoka, Japan. ... A city designated by government ordinance (a designated city or Government Ordinance City (Japanese: 政令指定都市 seirei shitei toshi or 政令市 seirei shi)) is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000; has important economic and industrial functions; and that is considered a major city. The classification was created by...

Core city nominees

The following cities are scheduled to receive the core city classification.

• April 1, 2008
  • Nishinomiya, Hyogo

• During April 2008
  • Morioka, Iwate
  • Kashiwa, Chiba
  • Kurume, Fukuoka

• After April 2008
  • Yokkaichi, Mie

• During April 2009
  • Maebashi, Gunma
  • Otsu, Shiga

• During 2011
  • Takasaki, Gunma

is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nishinomiya (西宮市; Nishinomiya-shi) is a city located in Hyōgo, Japan, between the cities of ÅŒsaka and Kōbe. ... This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Morioka (盛岡市; -shi) is the capital city of Iwate prefecture, Japan. ... Kashiwa (柏市 Kashiwa-shi) is a city located in Chiba, Japan. ... Downtown Kurume. ... This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Yokkaichi (四日市市; -shi) is a city located in Mie, Japan. ... This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Maebashi (前橋市 Maebashi-shi) is the capital city of Gunma in Japan. ... ÅŒtsu (Japanese: 大津市, ÅŒtsu-shi) is the capital city of Shiga, Japan. ... 2011 (MMXI) will be a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Takasaki (高崎市; -shi) is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. ...

Awaiting designation

The following cities have populations greater than 300,000 but have not yet been nominated. (Cities planning to apply for core city status are not shown. ※Special Cities)