Special cities of Japan

Special Cities (特例市) of Japan are cities with populations of at least 200,000, and are delegated a subset of the functions delegated to core cities.

This category was established by the Local Autonomy Law, article 252 clause 26. They are designated by the Cabinet after a request by the city council and the prefectural assembly.

List

The following 39 cities have been designated Special Cities

• November 1, 2000
  • Hakodate, Hokkaido
  • Morioka, Iwate
  • Odawara, Kanagawa
  • Yamato, Kanawaga
  • Fukui, Fukui
  • Kōfu, Yamanashi
  • Matsumoto, Nagano
  • Numazu, Shizuoka
  • Yokkaichi, Mie
  • Kure, Hiroshima
• April 1, 2001
  • Hachinohe, Aomori
  • Yamagata, Yamagata
  • Mito, Ibaraki
  • Maebashi, Gunma
  • Takasaki, Gunma
  • Kawaguchi, Saitama
  • Hiratsuka, Kanagawa
  • Fuji, Shizuoka
  • Kasugai, Aichi
  • Ōtsu, Shiga
  • Toyonaka, Ōsaka
  • Suita, Ōsaka
  • Hirakata, Ōsaka
  • Ibaraki, Ōsaka
  • Yao, Ōsaka
  • Neyagawa, Ōsaka
  • Amagasaki, Hyōgo
  • Kurume, Fukuoka
  • Sasebo, Nagasaki
• April 1, 2002
  • Tokorozawa, Saitama
  • Atsugi, Kanagawa
  • Ichinomiya, Aichi
  • Kishiwada, Ōsaka
  • Akashi, Hyōgo
  • Kakogawa, Hyōgo
  • Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi
• April 1, 2003
  • Koshigaya, Saitama
  • Chigasaki, Kanagawa
  • Takarazuka, Hyōgo
• February 13, 2005
  • Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi - redesignated after consolidation with towns of Kikukawa, Toyoda, Toyōra, and Toyokita