Chiba City, Japan is the capital of Chiba Prefecture. It is situated at a strategic point on Tokyo Bay between Tokyo and Narita airport. Its history as a modern city began in 1873, when it was appointed as the official prefectural seat. In subsequent years, both residential and business areas flourished, and development of new infrastructure and buildings in the coastal area quickly gave way to a rapid increase in population. In 1992, Chiba City received the 12th official designation from the national government as a major city of Japan, granting it special administrative powers.
A manufacturing center noted for the production of steel, textiles, paper products, and plastics, Chiba City’s industrial port plays a pivotal role in its economy. Its 133 km of coastline spanning six cities make it the largest port in Japan. In 2009, trade between Houston and Japan was valued at $2.8 billion. Houston’s seaborne trade with Japan was valued at over $1.3 billion in 2006. Japan is Houston’s top air cargo trade partner in the Pacific Rim as measured by weight. Trade between Houston and Japan has grown at a compounded annual growth rate of 3.9 percent over the past 10 years.
Fast Facts:
Population: 925,923
Country: Japan
Continent: Asia
Latitude & Longitude: 35.57˚ N, 140.11˚ E
GMT Time Difference: GMT + 9:00 hours
Time Difference from Houston: + 15:00 hours
Distance from Houston: 6660 miles /10718 km
Climate: Average temperature of 41˚ F (5˚ C) in January and 80˚ F (27˚ C) in August Average rain fall 132.9 mm per month
Language: Japanese
Governmental Structure: 6 wards which communicate with the municipal government and handle family registration, social security, social welfare and taxes.
Current Mayor: The Honorable Toshihito Kumagai, Mayor of Chiba
Other Sister Cities: Asunción, Paraguay; North Vancover, Canada; Quezon, Philippines; Tianjin and Wujiang, China; Montreux, Switzerland
Additional Information:
Chiba City Municipal Website
Japan America Society of Houston