Description of Chiba Prefecture
Location
Chiba Prefecture is crisscrossed by rivers, surrounded by the sea and blessed with rich natural resources, including the water and forests. It is located on the eastern side of the Tokyo metropolitan area, and occupies a peninsula that juts out into the Pacific Ocean. The southeastern part of the peninsula faces the Pacific Ocean, while the western side faces Tokyo Bay. Chiba Prefecture adjoins the Tokyo Metropolis and Saitama Prefecture to the northwest, and Ibaraki Prefecture to the north.
Land area and topography
Chiba Prefecture has a land area of 5,156.60 km2, making it the 28th largest prefecture in the country. It is larger than the total area of the Tokyo Metropolis and Kanagawa Prefecture combined (data as of October 1, 2008).
Topographically, Chiba is made up of the Boso Hills, a chain of hills 200 to 300 m in height, and the relatively flat Shimousa plateau, Tone River basin, and plains along the Kujukuri coast.
Chiba's coastline extends 534.3 km (as of March 31, 2007), and offers highly varied scenery.
Climate
Chiba Prefecture has a warm oceanic climate that is mild in winter and relatively cool in summer, as it is surrounded on three sides by the sea. The southern Boso coast in particular has warm weather affected by an offshore warm current called the Kuroshio. Accordingly, frost is rarely observed in winter.
Precipitation is high in summer, and low in winter.
Population
The population of Chiba Prefecture is the 6th largest of all prefectures in the country. The average age is 42.4, which is the 6th youngest among all prefectures in Japan (National Census, 2005).
Population: 6,056,462
Number of households: 2,325,232
As of October 1, 2005; according to the National Census, 2005
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Change in population
Source: National Census
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History
The first people came to Chiba 30,000 years ago during the Paleolithic period, called the Kyusekki Jidai in Japanese. There are 739 middens (domestic waste sites), and a total of 28,695 archaeological sites throughout Chiba which tell us people lived here then.
Chiba prefecture was formed by the combination of the ancient Awa(安房), Kazusa(上総), and Shimosa(下総) Provinces. The Chiba peninsula was called the Boso Peninsula by combining the second character from Awa (房) and second character from Shimosa and Kazusa (総) to make Boso (房総).
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Chiba Prefectural Government Offices |
| 1868 |
Meiji Restoration |
| 1871 |
The abolishment of fiefdoms and establishment of the newly created Kisarazu, Inba and Niihari Prefectures |
| 1873 |
Kisarazu and Inba Prefectures are dissolved and Chiba Prefecture is created; the Prefecture's central office is established at Chiba Village |
| 1875 |
Katori, Kaijo, and Sosa districts in Niihari Prefecture are merged into Chiba Prefecture |
| 1894 |
Railroad is built and a line opens between Ichikawa and Sakura |
| 1921 |
Chiba Village is accorded the status of "city" |
| 1923 |
Great Kanto Earthquake strikes; the Awa and Kimitsu regions suffer serious damage |
| 1935 |
Construction of Otone water system begins |
| 1935 |
Electrification of Sobu Line of Japan National Railway is completed and opened up to Chiba |
| 1945 |
Choshi and Chiba suffer air-raids |
| 1947 |
Tamenosuke Kawaguchi is elected as the Prefecture's first governor by popular vote |
| 1951 |
Formulation of Chiba Prefecture Comprehensive Development Plan |
| 1953 |
Smelting furnace at Chiba steel plant of Kawasaki Steel Corp. begins operation |
| 1954 |
Chiba Port officially opens |
| 1958 |
Formulation of Keiyo Industrial District Development Plan |
| 1958 |
Designation of Minami-Boso Quasi-National Park (the first quasi-national park in the prefecture) |
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| 1960 |
Completion of Keiyo Toll Road (the first toll road in the prefecture) |
| 1971 |
Chiba Television Broadcasting is established |
| 1973 |
Celebration of 100th anniversary since Chiba Prefecture's establishment as an administrative unit |
| 1973 |
The 28th National Sports Festival (Wakashio-Kokutai) is held |
| 1978 |
Opening of Narita Airport |
| 1983 |
Tokyo Disneyland opens |
| 1983 |
Prefectural population exceeds 5 million |
| 1984 |
Designation of the Prefecture's official Citizens' Day (June 15th) |
| 1989 |
Construction of Trans-Tokyo Bay Expressway started |
| 1989 |
The Makuhari Messe opens |
| 1992 |
Chiba City becomes a "designated city" |
| 1993 |
Celebration of 120th anniversary of Chiba Prefecture's establishment as an administrative unit |
| 1996 |
Construction of the current Prefectural Offices (main office tower) is completed |
| 1997 |
Tokyo Bay Aqua-line opens |
| 2001 |
Akiko Domoto is elected as the Prefecture's first female governor |
| 2002 |
Prefectural population exceeds 6 million |
| 2005 |
Tsukuba Express opens |
| 2007 |
Completion of the Tateyama Expressway |
| 2009 |
Governer Kensaku Morita elected |
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