Kure 呉市 |
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Core city | ||
Port of Kure seen from Mount Yasumi
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Location of Kure in Hiroshima Prefecture |
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Location in Japan | ||
Coordinates: 34°15′N 132°34′E / 34.250°N 132.567°ECoordinates: 34°15′N 132°34′E / 34.250°N 132.567°E | ||
Country | Japan | |
Region | Chūgoku (Sanyō) | |
Prefecture | Hiroshima Prefecture | |
Government | ||
• Mayor | Kazutoshi Komura | |
Area | ||
• Total | 352.80 km2 (136.22 sq mi) | |
Population (May 1, 2015) | ||
• Total | 228,030 | |
• Density | 646/km2 (1,670/sq mi) | |
Symbols | ||
• Tree | Oak | |
• Flower | Camellia | |
Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | |
City hall address | 4-1-6 Chūō, Kure-shi, Hiroshima-ken 737-8501 |
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Website | www |
Kure (呉市 Kure-shi?) is a port and major shipbuilding city situated on the Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. With a strong industrial heritage Kure hosts the second oldest naval dockyard in Japan and remains an important base for the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF).
As of May 1, 2015, the city has an estimated population of 228,030 and a population density of 646 persons per km². The total area is 352.80 km².
The Kure Naval District was first established in 1889, leading to the construction of the Kure Naval Arsenal and the rapid growth of both steel production and shipbuilding in the city. The city itself was formally incorporated on October 1, 1902. From 1889 until the end of World War II, the city served as the headquarters of the Kure Naval District.
Kure dockyards recorded a number of significant engineering firsts including; in 1905 the launching of the first major domestically built capital ship, the cruiser Tsukuba, and, in 1940, the launching of the largest battleship ever built, the Yamato.
During the Pacific War, Kure acted as Japan's single largest naval base and arsenal. Most of the city's industry and workforce were employed in the service of the naval installations, munitions factories and associated support functions. In the later stages of the conflict Kure came under sustained aerial bombardment culminating in the Bombing of Kure in June and July 1945.