Tamura, Fukushima

Tamura 田村市
City
Central Tamura (2015)
Flag Seal
Location of Tamura in Fukushima Prefecture
Tamura
Coordinates: 37°26′N 140°34′E / 37.433°N 140.567°ECoordinates: 37°26′N 140°34′E / 37.433°N 140.567°E
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Fukushima Prefecture
Government
• - Mayor	Yūkei Tomitsuka
Area
• Total	458.30 km^2 (176.95 sq mi)
Population (December 2014)
• Total	37,741
• Density	82.3/km^2 (213/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree	Oak
- Flower	Azalea
- Bird	Japanese bush warbler
Phone number	0247-82-1111
Address	76 Funehikimachi Funehiki aza hatazoe, Tamura-shi, Fukushima-ken 963-4393
Website	official HP

Tamura (田村市 Tamura-shi) is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, in northern Honshū, Japan. As of December 2014, the city had an estimated population of 37,741 and a population density of 82.3 persons per km². The total area was 458.30 km².

Geography

Tamura City Hall

Tamura is located in east-central Fukushima Prefecture.

Neighboring municipalities

• Nihonmatsu, Fukushima
• Koriyama, Fukushima
• Iwaki, Fukushima
• Miharu, Fukushima
• Ono, Fukushima
• Kawauchi, Fukushima
• Ōkuma, Fukushima
• Namie, Fukushima
• Katsurao, Fukushima

History

The area of present-day Tamura was part of ancient Mutsu Province. After the Meiji Restoration, it was organized as part of Tamura District in the Nakadōri region of Iwaki Province. . The villages of Miyakoji, Tokiwa, Katasone, Takine, and Ōgoe were established with the creation of the municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Tokiwa was elevated to town status on July 1, 1898, and the village of Katasone became the town of Funehiki on April 1, 1934. Takine was elevated to town status of April 1, 1940 followed by Ōgoe on February 8, 1942/

The modern city of Tamura was established on March 1, 2005, from the merger of these four towns and one village.

Evacuation after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster

After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster on 11 March 2011, the area containing the former village of Miyakoji was evacuated. On 1 April 2012 residents were allowed to return during daytime hours as decontamination work progressed. The evacuation order was lifted on 1 April 2014. ^[1] However, doubts remain as to the effectiveness of the radiation decontamination efforts. ^{[2][3][4] [5]}

Education

• Fukushima Prefectural Funehiki High School
• seven middle schools
• 16 elementary schools

Transportation

Railway

• JR East – Ban'etsu East Line
  • Kanmata - Sugaya - Ōgoe - Iwaki-Tokiwa - Funehiki - Kanameta

Highway

• Ban-etsu Expressway
• Japan National Route 288
• Japan National Route 349
• Japan National Route 399

International relations

• Mansfield, Ohio, United States, since October 21, 2000

Local attractions

• Abukuma Limestone Caves
• Hoshi no Mura ("Village of Stars") Observatory
• Ohtakadoyayama Transmitter is an LF-time signal transmitter in Miyakoji-machi. It is used for transmitting the time signal JJY on 40 kHz. It uses as transmission antenna a 250 metre tall guyed mast with an umbrella antenna, which is insulated against ground.

Noted people from Tamura

• Hiroyuki Arai – politician
• Kōichirō Genba – politician

External links

Media related to Tamura, Fukushima at Wikimedia Commons

• www.city.tamura.lg.jp/%20Tamura%20City%20official%20website (Japanese)
• JJY at NICT

Notes

1. World Nuclear News (1 April 2014) First Fukushima residents go home to Miyakoji
2. The Asahi Shimbun (23 March 2013)Fukushima cleanup contractors told workers to lie about pay in 'surprise' inspections
3. The Mainich Shimbun (08 June 2013) Data reveals that 75 percent of decontamination work in housing areas remains unfinished
4. The Mainichi Shimbun (27 May 2013) Subcontractor chided for sacking Fukushima decontamination work whistle-blowers
5. The Asahi Shimbun (29 June 2013) Government offers dosimeters--not decontamination--for Fukushima evacuees