Minato, Tokyo

Minato 港区
Special ward
Minato City
The skyscrapers of Shiodome in Minato Ward
Flag
Location of Minato in Tokyo
Minato Location in Japan
Coordinates: 35°39′29.05″N 139°45′5.76″E / 35.6580694°N 139.7516000°ECoordinates: 35°39′29.05″N 139°45′5.76″E / 35.6580694°N 139.7516000°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Tokyo
Government
• Mayor	Masaaki Takei
Area
• Total	20.37 km^2 (7.86 sq mi)
Population (1 July 2015)
• Total	243,094
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Website	www.city.minato.tokyo.jp

Minato (港区 Minato-ku, "Harbor") is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is also called Minato City in English.

As of 1 July 2015, it has an official population of 243,094,^[1] and a population density of 10,850 persons per km². The total area is 20.37 km².

Minato hosts a large number of embassies. It is also home to various domestic companies, including Honda, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, NEC, Sony,^[2] Fujitsu,^[3] and Toshiba, as well as the headquarters of a number of multi-national firms, including Google,^[4] Apple^[5] and Goldman Sachs.^[6]

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
• Atago
• Azabudai
• Azabu-Jūban
• Azabu-Mamianachō
• Azabu-Nagasakachō
• Hamamatsuchō
• Higashi-Azabu
• Higashi-Shinbashi
• Kaigan
• Kita-Aoyama
• Kōnan
• Minami-Aoyama
• Minami-Azabu
• Mita
• Moto-Akasaka
• Moto-Azabu
• Nishi-Azabu
• Nishi-Shinbashi
• Daiba
• Roppongi
• Shiba Kōen
• Shiba
• Shibadaimon
• Shibaura
• Shinbashi
• Shiodome
• Shirokane
• Shirokanedai
• Takanawa
• Toranomon

History

The ward was founded on March 15, 1947 with the merger of Akasaka, Azabu, and Shiba Wards. The name minato means "port".

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

Keio University

• 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 Campus
• Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology Shinagawa campus
• University of Tokyo Institute of Medical Science

Primary and secondary schools

Mita Junior High School

The city's public elementary and junior high schools are operated by the Minato City Board of Education.

Mita Junior High School (三田中学校) opened in 2001 after the merger of Minato Junior High School and Shibahama Junior High School.

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

• Akasaka High School
• Mita High School
• Roppongi High School
• Shiba Commercial High School

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

The Russian Embassy School in Tokyo is located in Azabudai in Minato.^[7]

Public libraries

The city operates the Minato Library, the Mita Library, the Azabu Library, the Akasaka Library, the Takanawa Library, and the Konan Library.^[8] The metropolis operates the Tokyo Metropolitan Library Central Library in Minato. The library opened in 1973.^[9]

Economy

Panorama view of Minato

Companies with headquarters in Minato include Air Nippon,^[10] All Nippon Airways (ANA),^[11][12] ANA & JP Express,^[13] All Nippon Airways Trading,^[14] Animax,^[15] Asmik Ace Entertainment,^[16] Cosmo Oil Company,^[17] Daicel,^[18] Dentsu,^[19] Fujifilm,^[20] Fuji Xerox,^[21] Fujitsu,^[22] Hazama Ando,^[23] Japan Tobacco,^[24] Kajima,^[25] Kaneka Corporation,^[26] Konami,^[27] KYB Corporation,^[28] Kyodo News,^[29] Mitsubishi Motors,^[30] Mitsui Chemicals,^[31] Mitsui O.S.K. Lines,^[32] Mitsui Oil Exploration Company,^[33] NEC,^[34] Nippon Sheet Glass,^[35] NYK Line,^[36] Obayashi Corporation,^[37] Pizza-La,^[38] The Pokémon Company,^[39] Sega Sammy Holdings,^[40] Sigma Seven,^[41] Sony,^[42] SUMCO,^[43] Toraya Confectionery,^[44] Toyo Suisan (owns the branch Maruchan),^[45] TV Tokyo,^[46] WOWOW,^[47] and Yazaki.^[48] In addition ANA subsidiary Air Japan has some offices in Minato.^[49]

Foreign companies

The Japanese division of CB&I,^[50] the Japanese division of Aramark and Aim Services,^[51] Yahoo! Japan,^[52] and the main Japanese offices of Hanjin and Korean Air are located there.^[53] Air France operates an office and ticketing counter in the New Aoyama Building in Minato.^[54] The Japanese division of Deutsche Post, DHL. Air France's Minato office handles Aircalin-related inquiries.^[55] Air China has operations in the Air China Building in Minato.^[56] Asiana Airlines operates a sales office on the sixth floor of the ATT New Tower Building.^[57] Hawaiian Airlines has its Japan offices in the Eagle Hamamatsuchō Building (イーグル浜松町ビル Īguru Hamamatsuchō Biru) in Minato.^[58] Iran Air has its Tokyo office in Akasaka.^[59]

Former economic operations

Japanese companies that formerly had headquarters in Minato include Air Next,^[60] Airtransse,^[61] Asatsu,^[62] Jaleco Holding,^[63][64] Ricoh,^[65][66] Toa Domestic Airlines (later Japan Air System and later Japan Air Lines),^[67][68][69]

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.^[70][71]

Diplomatic missions

Embassy of the United States in Japan

Several countries operate their embassies in Minato.

Embassies

•  Argentina
•  Australia
•  Austria
•  Bahrain
•  Belarus
•  Belize
•  Bolivia
•  Botswana
•  Brazil
•  Canada
•  Cambodia
•  Chile
•  P.R. China
•  Costa Rica
•  Cuba
•  Dominican Republic
•  Ecuador
•  El Salvador
•  Eritrea
•  Ethiopia
•  Fiji
•  Finland
•  France
•  Germany
•  Ghana
•  Greece
•  Guatemala
•  Haiti
•  Honduras
•  Hungary
•  Iceland
•  Italy
•  Iraq
•  Iran
•  Jamaica
•  Kazakhstan
•  Kuwait
•  Laos
•  Liberia
•  Lithuania
•  Madagascar
•  Malawi
•  F.S. of Micronesia
•  Morocco
•  Mozambique
•  Netherlands
•  Nicaragua
•  Nigeria
•  Norway
•  Pakistan
•  Panama
•  Papua New Guinea
•  Philippines
•  Qatar
•  Romania
•  Russia
•  San Marino
•  Saudi Arabia
•  Singapore
•  Slovakia
•  Slovenia
•  South Korea
•  Spain
•  Sri Lanka
•  Sudan
•  Sweden
•   Switzerland
•  Syria
•  Republic of China (Taiwan)
•  Ukraine
•  United States
•  Uruguay
•  Venezuela
•  Zimbabwe

Consulates

•  Kiribati
•  Macedonia
•  Mauritius
•  Tuvalu

Places

Tokyo Tower

Roppongi Hills

• 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 Sōtō 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

Yurikamome

• 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, Gaienmae 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

Rainbow Bridge connecting central Tokyo to Odaiba

Tokyo Cruise Ship Himiko

• 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.

Notable people from Minato

• Hirohito, the 124th Emperor of Japan
• Takeichi Nishi, an Imperial Japanese Army officer, equestrian show jumper, and Olympic Gold Medalist at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics
• Kanoko Okamoto (1889–1939), poet, born in Akasaka Ward (present-day Minato)^[72]
• Sho Sakurai, actor and singer, affiliated with Arashi

References

1. Minato Ward website Population of Minato as of 1 July 2015
2. "Sony Global - Corporate Information".
3. "Fujitsu at a Glance".
4. https://www.google.co.uk/about/company/facts/locations/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
5. http://www.apple.com/jp/contact/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
6. http://www.goldmansachs.com/who-we-are/locations/index.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
7. "Контакты и полезные ссылки." Russian Embassy School in Tokyo. Retrieved on April 14, 2015. "Средняя общеобразовательная школа с углубленным изучением иностранноого языка при Посольстве России в Японии Адрес: Япония, 106-0041 Токио, Минато-ку, Адзабудай, 2-1-1"
8. http://www.city.minato.tokyo.jp/e/liv/serv/com/com03.html
9. http://www.library.metro.tokyo.jp/1b/1b100.html
10. "会社概要." Air Nippon. Retrieved on May 19, 2009.
11. "Principal Offices." All Nippon Airways. Retrieved on December 22, 2008.
12. "ANA City Offices/Ticketing Offices Japan." All Nippon Airways. Retrieved on December 22, 2008.
13. "Company Profile." ANA & JP Express. Retrieved on February 11, 2009.
14. "Company Information." All Nippon Airways Trading. Retrieved on August 23, 2009.
15. "会社概要." Animax. Retrieved on February 26, 2010.
16. "Company Data." Asmik Ace Entertainment. Retrieved on July 4, 2009.
17. "Company Profile." Cosmo Oil Company. Retrieved on March 28, 2015.
18. "Corporate Data." Daicel. Retrieved on December 23, 2015.
19. "Company details." Dentsu. Retrieved on November 9, 2009.
20. "Head Office." Fujifilm. Retrieved on July 12, 2010.
21. "FUJI XEROX Company Profile." Fuji Xerox. Retrieved on July 12, 2010.
22. "Fujitsu's Corporate Headquarters." Fujitsu. Retrieved on February 4, 2009.
23. "Corporate Profile." Hazama Ando. Retrieved on April 10, 2015.
24. "Corporate Data (as of March 31, 2009)." Japan Tobacco. Retrieved on October 19, 2009.
25. "Corporate Data." Kajima. Retrieved on February 19, 2010.
26. "Corporate Data." Kaneka Corporation. Retrieved on February 26, 2016.
27. "Contact Us." Konami. Retrieved on February 12, 2010.
28. "Corporate Information." KYB Corporation. Retrieved on February 5, 2015.
29. Shrivastava, K. M. (2007). News agencies from pigeon to internet. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 208. ISBN 978-1-932705-67-6.
30. "Profile." Mitsubishi Motors. Retrieved on March 7, 2010.
31. "Head Office - Branches." Mitsui Chemicals. Retrieved on February 18, 2010.
32. "Corporate Profile." Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. Retrieved on June 21, 2010.
33. "Company Information." Mitsui Oil Exploration Co. Retrieved on July 11, 2010.
34. "Corporate Profile." NEC. Retrieved on July 12, 2010.
35. "Company Details." Nippon Sheet Glass. Retrieved on April 2, 2014.
36. "Tokyo (Headquarters)." NYK Line. Retrieved on January 20, 2010.
37. "Company Overview." Obayashi Corporation. Retrieved on March 21, 2014.
38. "Corporate Info." Pizza-La. Retrieved on February 29, 2010.
39. "会社概要." The Pokémon Company. Retrieved on October 5, 2009.
40. "Company Profile." Sega Sammy Holdings. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
41. "Company Profile." Sigma Seven. Retrieved on February 22, 2009.
42. "Corporate Information." Sony. Retrieved on January 19, 2009.
43. "Corporate Data." SUMCO. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
44. "Privacy Policy." Toraya Confectionery. Last updated on October 11, 2005. Retrieved on November 20, 2010. "4-9-22 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN."
45. "会社概要." Toyo Suisan/Maruchan. Retrieved on September 28, 2009.
46. "Corporate Information." TV Tokyo. Retrieved on January 20, 2009.
47. "Corporate Info." WOWOW. Retrieved on November 20, 2010. "THE HEAD OFFICE 21F, Akasaka Park Building, 5-2-20,Akasaka, Minato-ku Tokyo 107-6121 Tel.[phone]WOWOW INC. MAP." Address in Japanese: "東京都港区赤坂5-2-20　赤坂パークビル21F"
48. "Japan." Yazaki. Retrieved on June 18, 2015. "Headquarters 17th Floor, Mita-Kokusai Bldg., 4-28 Mita 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8333 Japan" - Japanese address: "本 社 〒108-8333　東京都港区三田1-4-28　三田国際ビル17F"
49. "Company Guide." Air Japan. Retrieved on May 19, 2009.
50. "Worldwide Offices." CB&I. Retrieved on November 10, 2008.
51. "Company." Aim Services. Retrieved on November 10, 2008.
52. "Company Info." Yahoo! Japan. Retrieved on April 30, 2009.
53. "Office Network Japan." Hanjin. Retrieved on November 19, 2008.
54. "Air France Agency Tokyo." Air France. Retrieved on January 15, 2009.
55. "Contact Us." Aircalin. Retrieved on January 15, 2009.
56. "International Offices." Air China. Retrieved on January 18, 2009.
57. "Worldwide Offices Japan." Asiana Airlines. Retrieved on January 19, 2009.
58. "お問い合わせ." Hawaiian Airlines, Japan. Retrieved on February 15, 2010.
59. "Iran Air Tokyo Office." Iran Air. Retrieved on January 29, 2011. ""Address c/o Akasaka Habitation Bldg., 1-3-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052"
60. "会社概要." Air Next. February 16, 2005. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.
61. "会社概 a要." Airtransse. September 12, 2004. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.
62. "Corporate Overview." Asatsu-DK. Retrieved on November 9, 2009.
63. "Company Information." Jaleco. Retrieved on August 10, 2010.
64. "JalecoHD+map.pdf." Jaleco. Retrieved on August 10, 2010.
65. "Outline of Ricoh." Ricoh. May 16, 1997. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
66. "Company Data." Ricoh. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
67. World Airline Directory. Flight International. March 20, 1975. "505.
68. "World Airline Directory." Flight International. March 30, 1985. 124." Retrieved on June 17, 2009.
69. "World Airline Directory." Flight International. March 23–29, 1994. "Japan Air System" 95.
70. "Notice Regarding Relocation of Epson Imaging Devices Tokyo Sales Office." Seiko Epson. December 22, 2008. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
71. "Information." World Trade Center Tokyo. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
72. "Prominent People of Minato City". Japan: Minato City. 2006. Retrieved 14 November 2013.

External links

• Minato City official website (English)
• Minato Travel Guide (English)