is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 March 2008, it had an official population of 217,335 and a density of 10,865 persons per km². The total area is 20.34 km².

Minato hosts 49 embassies. It is also home to various companies, including Honda, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, NEC, Sony, Fujitsu and Toshiba.

Geography

Minato is located southwest of the Imperial Palace and has boundaries with the special wards of Chiyoda, Chūō, Kōtō (in Odaiba), Shinagawa, Shibuya, and Shinjuku.

Districts

Akasaka Azabujūban Azabudai Azabu-Nagasakachō Azabu-Mamianachō Atago Kaigan Kitaaoyama Kōnan Shiba Shibaura

Shibakōen Shibadaimon Shirokane Shirokanedai Shinbashi Daiba Takanawa Toranomon Nishiazabu Nishishinbashi

Hamamatsuchō Higashiazabu Higashishinbashi Mita Minamiaoyama Minamiazabu Motoakasaka Motoazabu Roppongi

History

The ward was founded on March 15, 1947 with the merger of Akasaka, Azabu, and Shiba Wards.

Politics and Government

Minato is governed by mayor Masaaki Takei, an Independent supported by all major parties except the Japanese Communist Party. The city legislative assembly has 51 members and is dominated by the Liberal Democratic Party.

Elections

• Minato mayoral election, 2008

Education

Colleges and universities

• Jikei University School of Medicine Nishi Shinbashi campus
• Kanazawa Institute of Technology Graduate school; Toranomon campus
• Keio University
• Kitasato University Shirokane campus
• Meiji Gakuin University Shirokane campus
• National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)
• Shibaura Institute of Technology
• Temple University Japan
• Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology Shinagawa campus
• United Nations University Tokyo headquarters
• University of Tokyo Institute of Medical Science

Primary and secondary schools

The city's public elementary and junior high schools are operated by the Minato City Board of Education ([48700] in English, [48701] in Japanese).

 opened in 2001 after the merger of Minato Junior High School ( ) and Shibahama Junior High School ( ) were merged. (JA)

The local public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education.

• Akasaka High School [48702]
• Mita High School [48703]
• Roppongi High School [48704]
• Shiba Commercial High School [48705]

There are also a variety of private schools, including the Friends School, a Quaker school established in 1887.

Public libraries

The city operates the Minato Library, the Mita Library, the Azabu Library, the Akasaka Library, the Takanawa Library, and the Konan Library.The metropolis operates the Tokyo Metropolitan Library Central Library in Minato. The library opened in 1973.

Economy

Various companies have offices in Minato. The Shiodome City Center building in Shiodome, Shinbashi includes the corporate headquarters and public and investor relations offices of Fujitsu, the headquarters of All Nippon Airways, and the headquarters of ANA subsidiaries Air Nippon, ANA & JP Express, and All Nippon Airways Trading. In addition ANA subsidiary Air Japan has some offices in Shiodome City Center. Prior to moving into the Shiodome City Center, ANA Trading was headquartered in the in Minato.

Dentsu has its headquarters in the Dentsu Building in the Shiodome district. The Pokémon Company has its headquarters in the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower in Roppongi. Sega Sammy Holdings is headquartered in the Shiodome Sumitomo Building in Minato. Sony is headquartered in Minato. In Minato Sony also operates the Shinagawa Technology Center in the InterCity C Tower and the Takanawa Office. Sony moved to Minato from Shinagawa, Tokyo around the end of 2006. TV Tokyo has its headquarters in Minato. Sigma Seven, a talent management firm, is in Minato. Nippon Cargo Airlines is headquartered in Minato. Asmik Ace Entertainment is headquartered in Minato. Toyo Suisan, which owns the branch Maruchan, is headquartered in Minato. Japan Tobacco has its headquarters in Minato. Kyodo News is also centered in Minato.

Foreign companies

The Japanese division of CB&I, the Japanese division of Aramark and Aim Services, Yahoo! Japan, and the main Japanese offices of Hanjin and Korean Air are located there. Air France operates an office and ticketing counter in the New Aoyama Building in Minato. Air France's Minato office handles Aircalin-related inquiries. Air China has operations in the Air China Building in Minato. Asiana Airlines operates a sales office on the sixth floor of the ATT New Tower Building.

At one point Alaska Airlines maintained an office in Chiyoda.

Former economic operations

In May 1967 the headquarters of Asatsu moved to Shinbashi, Minato. The headquarters moved to Ginza, Chuo in July 1995. In 1975 and 1985 Toa Domestic Airlines (later Japan Air System) was headquartered in Minato. Before relocating to Chūō, Tokyo, Ricoh was headquartered in Minato. In 2006 Ricoh's headquarters moved to a 25-story building in the Ginza area in Chūō. On December 22, 2008 operations of Seiko Epson's Tokyo sales office began at Seiko Epson's Hino Office in Hino, Tokyo. Previously operations were at the World Trade Center in Minato. In September 2004 Airtransse, a regional airline, was headquartered in Minato. In February 2005 Air Next, an ANA subsidiary, was headquartered in Minato.

Diplomatic missions

Several countries operate their embassies in Minato. Embassies of Argentina, Syria, United Kingdom and of the United States are in Minato.

Places

• Akasaka: A large residential and commercial area in northern Minato which includes the Akasaka Palace, State Guest House and surrounding gardens, TBS radio and television studios, Ark Hills complex, National Art Center, and the embassy of the United States.
• Aoyama: Home to Aoyama Cemetery, one of Tokyo's largest graveyards, and the Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium.
• Atago Shrine, the highest point in all 23 wards of Tokyo.
• Azabu: One of Tokyo's more upscale residential areas, home to many embassies.
• Fushimi Sanpō Inari Jinja: A Shinto shrine in Shiba 3-chōme.
• Hamamatsuchō: Hamamatsucho Station is the terminal for the Tokyo Monorail to Haneda Airport.
• Mita: Home to Keio University and a large number of small Buddhist temples.
• The National Art Center, Tokyo is a museum that opened in 2007.
• Odaiba: One of Tokyo's most popular entertainment areas, featuring the Fuji TV studios, Palette Town shopping complex, Dream Bridge, Tokyo Big Sight, and more. Located on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay, it is connected to central Tokyo by the Yurikamome transit line over the Rainbow Bridge.
• Roppongi: Tokyo's best-known nightlife district, especially popular among foreigners; also home to the Roppongi Hills complex, which houses the studios of TV Asahi, the J-Wave radio station, the Tokyo Grand Hyatt Hotel, and a shopping complex.
• Shiba Park: Houses the Zojoji temple. Tokyo Tower is located one block away.
• Shinbashi: Shinbashi Station, the northern terminal of Japan's first railway line. Also home to the Shiosite office and entertainment complex, which houses Nippon Television studios.
• Shirokanedai: Home to Meiji Gakuin University.
• Takanawa: Home to the Soto temple of Sengaku-ji. Shinagawa Station, one of Tokyo's largest train stations, is located in Takanawa, although it is associated with Shinagawa to the south. An area of many 1980s hotels including the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa, Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa, and Pacific Meridien Hotel.
• Toranomon: TV Tokyo studios and the Toranomon Station underground complex.
• Tsuki no Misaki is a plateau.

Transportation

Rail

• Keikyu Main Line (Shinagawa Station)
• Toei Subway:
  • Toei Asakusa Line (Shimbashi Station, Daimon Station, Mita Station, Sengakuji Station, Takanawadai Station)
  • Toei Oedo Line (Shiodome Station, Daimon Station, Akabanebashi Station, Azabu-juban Station, Roppongi Station, Aoyama-itchome Station)
  • Toei Mita Line (Uchisaiwaicho Station, Onarimon Station, Shiba-koen Station, Mita Station, Shirokane-Takanawa Station, Shirokanedai Station)
• Tokyo Metro:
  • Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line (Akasaka Station, Nogizaka Station, Omotesando Station)
  • Tokyo Metro Ginza Line (Shimbashi Station, Toranomon Station, Tameike-sanno Station, Akasaka-mitsuke Station, Aoyama-itchome Station, Gaiemmae Station, Omotesando Station)
  • Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line (Aoyama-itchome Station, Omotesando Station)
  • Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line (Kamiyacho Station, Roppongi Station, Hiroo Station)
  • Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line (Akasaka-mitsuke Station)
  • Tokyo Metro Namboku Line (Tameike-sanno Station, Roppongi-itchome Station, Azabu-juban Station, Shirokane-Takanawa Station, Shirokanedai Station)
• East Japan Railway Company (JR East)
  • Keihin-Tohoku Line/Yamanote Line (Shimbashi Station, Hamamatsucho Station, Tamachi Station, Shinagawa Station)
  • Tōkaidō Main Line (Shimbashi Station, Shinagawa Station)
  • Yokosuka Line (Shimbashi Station, Shinagawa Station)
• Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central)
  • Tōkaidō Shinkansen (Shinagawa Station)
• Tokyo Monorail (Hamamatsucho Station)
• Yurikamome (Shimbashi Station, Shiodome Station, Takeshiba Station, Hinode Station, Shibaura-futo Station, Odaiba-kaihin-koen Station, Daiba Station)

Road

• Shuto Expressway:
  • No. 1 Haneda Route (Edobashi JCT – Iriya)
  • No. 2 Meguro Route (Ichinohashi JCT – Togoshi)
  • No.11 Daiba Route (Shibaura JCT – Ariake JCT)
  • B Bayshore Route (Namiki – Kawasaki-ukishima JCT)
  • C1 Inner Loop (Edobashi – Takaracho – Kyobashi – Ginza – Shiodome – Hamazakibashi – Shiba Park – Tanimachi – Kasumigaseki – Daikanmachi – Edobashi)
• National roads:
  • Route 1 (Sakurada-dori)
  • Route 15 (Dai-Ichi Keihin)
  • Route 246 (Aoyama-dori)
• Other major roads:
  • Atago-dori
  • Kaigan-dori
  • Kyu-kaigan-dori
  • Gaien-higashi-dori
  • Gaien-nishi-dori
  • Hibiya-dori
  • Roppongi-dori

Ferry

Tokyo's main ferry terminal is located adjacent to Takeshiba Station on the Yurikamome, due east of JR Hamamatsucho Station.

See also

References

1. http://www.city.minato.tokyo.jp/e/liv/serv/com/com03.html
2. http://www.library.metro.tokyo.jp/1b/1b100.html
3. " Fujitsu's Corporate Headquarters." Fujitsu. Retrieved on February 4, 2009.
4. " Principal Offices." All Nippon Airways. Retrieved on December 22, 2008.
5. " ANA City Offices/Ticketing Offices Japan." All Nippon Airways. Retrieved on December 22, 2008.
6. " 会社概要." Air Nippon. Retrieved on May 19, 2009.
7. " Company Profile." ANA & JP Express. Retrieved on February 11, 2009.
8. " Company Information." All Nippon Airways Trading. Retrieved on August 23, 2009.
9. " Company Guide." Air Japan. Retrieved on May 19, 2009.
10. " Company Information." All Nippon Airways Trading. January 27, 2001. Retrieved on August 23, 2009.
11. " 概要." All Nippon Airways Trading. January 24, 2001. Retrieved on August 23, 2009.
12. " Company details." Dentsu. Retrieved on November 9, 2009.
13. " 会社概要." The Pokémon Company. Retrieved on October 5, 2009.
14. " Company Profile." Sega Sammy Holdings. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
15. " Corporate Information." Sony. Retrieved on January 19, 2009.
16. " Access & Map." Sony. Retrieved on January 19, 2009.
17. Suzuki, Kyoko. " Sony Considers Sale of Properties Including Former Headquarters." Bloomberg. August 3, 2006. Retrieved on January 19, 2009.
18. " Sony to close symbol of TV business.." Kyodo News International. February 1, 2007. Retrieved on January 19, 2009.
19. " Corporate Information." TV Tokyo. Retrieved on January 20, 2009.
20. " Company Profile." Sigma Seven. Retrieved on February 22, 2009.
21. " Corporate Profile." Nippon Cargo Airlines. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.
22. " Company Data." Asmik Ace Entertainment. Retrieved on July 4, 2009.
23. " 会社概要." Toyo Suisan/Maruchan. Retrieved on September 28, 2009.
24. " Corporate Data (as of March 31, 2009)." Japan Tobacco. Retrieved on October 19, 2009.
25. Shrivastava, K. M. (2007). News agencies from pigeon to internet. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 208. ISBN 978-1932705676.
26. " Worldwide Offices." CB&I. Retrieved on November 10, 2008.
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28. " Company Info." Yahoo! Japan. Retrieved on April 30, 2009.
29. " Office Network Japan." Hanjin. Retrieved on November 19, 2008.
30. " Air France Agency Tokyo." Air France. Retrieved on January 15, 2009.
31. " Contact Us." Aircalin. Retrieved on January 15, 2009.
32. " International Offices." Air China. Retrieved on January 18, 2009.
33. " Worldwide Offices Japan." Asiana Airlines. Retrieved on January 19, 2009.
34. " Contact Phone Numbers." Alaska Air Group. December 1, 1998. Retrieved on July 23, 2009.
35. " Corporate Overview." Asatsu-DK. Retrieved on November 9, 2009.
36. World Airline Directory. Flight International. March 20, 1975. " 505.
37. "World Airline Directory." Flight International. March 30, 1985. 124." Retrieved on June 17, 2009.
38. " Outline of Ricoh." Ricoh. May 16, 1997. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
39. " Company Data." Ricoh. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
40. " Topics - Annual Report 2006." Ricoh. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
41. " Notice Regarding Relocation of Epson Imaging Devices Tokyo Sales Office." Seiko Epson. December 22, 2008. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
42. " Information." World Trade Center Tokyo. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
43. " 会社概要." Airtransse. September 12, 2004. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.
44. " 会社概要." Air Next. February 16, 2005. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.

External links

• Minato City official website in English