Core cities of Japan
Core cities are a category of Japanese cities created by the national government. They have more responsibilities than normal cities, but fewer than designated cities. To become a core city, a city usually needs more than 300,000 people and an area larger than 100 square kilometers. The cabinet can allow exceptions for cities with 200,000–299,999 people.
Since April 1, 2015, after the end of the special city status, any city with more than 200,000 people may apply for core city status. The city’s application must be approved by both the city council and the prefectural council.
The term “core city” comes from Article 252, Section 22 of Japan’s Local Autonomy Law.
As of April 1, 2021, 62 cities have core city status. There are cities with more than 200,000 residents that have not yet been nominated. (Special cities and cities planning to apply are not listed here.)
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 07:46 (CET).