Imabetsu

Imabetsu (今別町, Imabetsu-machi) is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan and a part of the Aomori metropolitan area.[1] As of 29 February 2020, the town had an estimated population of 2,562 in 1414 households,[2] and a population density of 20 persons per km2. The total area of the town is 125.27 km2 (48.37 sq mi).

Imabetsu

今別町
Town
Imabestu Town Hall
Flag
Seal
Location of Imabetsu in Aomori Prefecture
Imabetsu
 
Coordinates: 41°10′54.4″N 140°28′54″E
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureAomori
DistrictHigashitsugaru
Area
 • Total125.27 km2 (48.37 sq mi)
Population
 (February 29, 2020)
 • Total2,562
 • Density20/km2 (53/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols 
- TreeHiba
- FlowerChrysanthemum
- BirdCommon gull
Phone number0174-35-2001
Address167 Imabetsu, Imabetsu-machi, Higashitsugaru-gun, Aomori-ken 030-1502
WebsiteOfficial website
Seikan Tunnel entrance

Geography

Imabetsu is in Higashitsugaru District of Aomori Prefecture, and occupies the northern coastline of Tsugaru Peninsula, facing Tsugaru Strait. Much of the town is within the limits of the Tsugaru Quasi-National Park.

Neighbouring municipalities

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Imabetsu has decreased by more than half over the past 50 years and is now much less than it was a century ago.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 5,188—    
1930 5,385+3.8%
1940 6,121+13.7%
1950 7,710+26.0%
1960 8,068+4.6%
1970 7,358−8.8%
1980 7,113−3.3%
1990 4,978−30.0%
2000 4,124−17.2%
2010 3,217−22.0%

Climate

The town has a cold humid continental climate (Köppen Cfb) characterized by warm short summers and long cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Imabetsu is 10.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1249 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around -1.4 °C.[4]

Climate data for Imabetsu (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 1.4
(34.5)		 2.0
(35.6)		 5.6
(42.1)		 11.9
(53.4)		 16.5
(61.7)		 19.8
(67.6)		 23.4
(74.1)		 25.9
(78.6)		 22.8
(73.0)		 17.1
(62.8)		 10.4
(50.7)		 4.4
(39.9)		 13.4
(56.2)
Average low °C (°F) −3.5
(25.7)		 −3.3
(26.1)		 −1.1
(30.0)		 3.2
(37.8)		 7.8
(46.0)		 12.1
(53.8)		 16.8
(62.2)		 18.9
(66.0)		 14.8
(58.6)		 8.8
(47.8)		 3.4
(38.1)		 −1.1
(30.0)		 6.4
(43.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 136.0
(5.35)		 100.9
(3.97)		 91.6
(3.61)		 96.6
(3.80)		 105.9
(4.17)		 78.3
(3.08)		 149.7
(5.89)		 163.7
(6.44)		 171.7
(6.76)		 143.9
(5.67)		 167.9
(6.61)		 154.1
(6.07)		 1,560.3
(61.42)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 171
(67)		 141
(56)		 88
(35)		 5
(2.0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 14
(5.5)		 103
(41)		 522
(206.5)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 32.2 55.1 115.1 177.7 197.7 169.7 142.2 158.5 145.0 133.4 66.9 33.9 1,427.4
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency


History

The area around Imabetsu was controlled by the Tsugaru clan of Hirosaki Domain during the Edo period. After the Meiji Restoration Minmaya, Kanita and Tairadate villages were separated from Imabetsu, which was also organized as a village on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. On March 31, 1955, Imabetsu annexed the neighboring village of Ippongi and was elevated to town status.

Government

Imabetsu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town legislature of 6 members. Higashitsugaru District, contributes one member to the Aomori Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Aomori 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The economy of Imabetsu is heavily dependent on commercial fishing. Some of the locally caught seafood include sea urchin roe, sea cucumber, scallops, abalone and squid. １

Education

Imabetsu has one public elementary school and one public junior high middle school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Tsugaru Line

Hokkaidō Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) - Hokkaido Shinkansen

Highway

Media related to Imabetsu, Aomori at Wikimedia Commons

References
  1. "2010 Metropolitan Employment Map". University of Tokyo. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  2. Imabetsu Town official statistics (in Japanese)
  3. Imabetsu population statistics
  4. Imabetsu climate data
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.