Ōizumi, Gunma

Ōizumi (大泉町, Ōizumi-machi) is a town located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 August 2020, the town had an estimated population of 41,918 in 19,773 households,[1] and a population density of 2300 persons per km². The total area of the town is 18.03 km2 (6.96 sq mi). Approximately 20 percent of the total population are foreign citizens, mostly Japanese Brazilians, who work at many factories in the town. Since 1990, Japanese descendants from foreign countries have been permitted to stay in Japan freely. It is estimated that 15 percent of the population speak Portuguese as their native language,[2] and as of 2007, Ōizumi has the highest concentration of Brazilians of any city in Japan.[3] More recently, Nepalese and other Asians have begun settling in the town.[4]

Ōizumi
大泉町
Town
Ōizumi town hall
Ōizumi town hall
Flag of Ōizumi
Flag
Official seal of Ōizumi
Seal
Location of Ōizumi in Gunma Prefecture
Location of Ōizumi in Gunma Prefecture
Ōizumi is located in Japan
Ōizumi
Ōizumi
 
Coordinates: 36°14′52.2″N 139°24′17.7″E
CountryJapan
RegionKantō
PrefectureGunma
DistrictŌra
Government
 • MayorToshiaki Murayama
Area
 • Total18.03 km2 (6.96 sq mi)
Population
 (August 2020)
 • Total41,918
 • Density2,300/km2 (6,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
– TreeZelkova serrata
– FlowerTulip, Salvia splendens
Phone number0276-63-3111
Address55-1 Hinode, Ōizumi-machi, Gunma-ken 370-0595
WebsiteOfficial website
Ruins of Koizumi Castle

Geography

Ōizumi is located in the extreme southern corner Gunma prefecture, bordered by Saitama Prefecture to the south. The Tone River flows through the southern part of the town.

Surrounding municipalities

Gunma Prefecture

Saitama Prefecture

Climate

Ōizumi has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by hot summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Ōizumi is 14.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1263 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.3 °C.[5]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[6] the population of Ōizumi has grown significantly over the past 100 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 8,626—    
1930 8,902+3.2%
1940 12,059+35.5%
1950 18,397+52.6%
1960 19,128+4.0%
1970 25,149+31.5%
1980 31,283+24.4%
1990 39,232+25.4%
2000 41,403+5.5%
2010 40,254−2.8%
2020 42,089+4.6%

History

The villages of Ōkawa and Koizumi were created within Ōra District, Gunma Prefecture on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration. Koizumi was elevated to town status on July 25, 1902. On March 31, 1957 Koizumi merged with the village of Ōkawa and was renamed Ōizumi. Plans to merge with neighboring Chiyoda in 2004 and with Ōta in 2008 were rejected by the local town assembly.

Government

Ōizumi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 14 members. Ōizumi, together with the other municipalities in Ōra District contributes three members to the Gunma Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Gunma 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Ōizumi has an industrial base, with manufacturing facilities including plants from Ajinomoto, Sanyo, Toppan, Maruha Nichiro and Fuji Heavy Industries (which was previously the plant of the Nakajima Aircraft Company), located in the town.

Education

Ōizumi has four public elementary schools and three public junior high schools operated by the town government, and two public high schools operated by the Gunma prefecture Board of Education.

Prefectural high schools:

  • Nishi Oura High School
  • Oizumi High School

Municipal junior high schools:[7]

Municipal elementary schools:[7]

International schools:

The city formerly housed the Escola da Professora Rebeca, another Brazilian international school.[9]

Transportation

Railway

Tōbu Railway – Tōbu Koizumi Line

Highway

Sister city relations

Local attractions
  • Koizumi Castle ruins (小泉城跡)
  • Ryusenji temple (竜泉寺)
  • Koizumi shrine (小泉神社)
  • Ainohara remains (間之原遺跡) of Jōmon period (3500 BC-3000 BC)

References
  1. "Ōizumi Town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. "Home". LesteMais.com.
  3. Sugino, Toshiko, Ed. D. (Temple University). "Nikkei Brazilians at a Brazilian school in Japan: Factors affecting language decisions and education" (PhD thesis). Temple University, 2007. Publication Number 3293262. See profile at Google Books. cited: p. 56.
  4. "One in ten Tokyoites in their 20s are now foreigners". Nikkei Asia.
  5. "Oizumi climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Oizumi weather averages - Climate-Data.org". en.climate-data.org.
  6. "Ōizumi population statistics".
  7. "Home". Oizumi Town Board of Education. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  8. "Escolas Brasileiras Homologadas no Japão" (Archive). Embassy of Brazil in Tokyo. Retrieved on October 13, 2015.
  9. "Escolas Brasileiras Homologadas no Japão" (Archive). Embassy of Brazil in Tokyo. February 7, 2008. Retrieved on October 13, 2015.

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