Izumo, Japan

　　Situated in the north of Shimaneken, Izumo City is in the center of the Izumo Plain, with the famous and legendary Shimane Peninsula in north and mountain land in the south (Central Area of Japan).

　　The Izumo Plain originates from central mountain land, the alluvial plain formed by the Hikawa River and the Kobo River. The Hikawa River runs its way through the center of the plain and the Kobo River runs westward into the Japan Sea. The north part of the Shimane Peninsula faces the Japan Sea with geographical diversities of plain, rivers, lakes and sea.

　　About 30 kilometers north to south and east to west respectively, Izumo City covers an area of 543.42 square kilometers, accounting for 8.1% of the county area, including 7.9% residential area, 25.6% arable land, 62.7% mountain forest area and 3.8% area of the rest of the land.

　　On March 22, 2005, two cities and four villages in Izumo District merged to form a new “Izumo City”. With self-reliance, communications, environmental protection as its theme the new city implements a series of new policy to encourage citizens to take the leading role to build up extensive external cooperation and exchanges, strengthen people to people and region to region communication, and aim to establish the city as an "open, energetic and worldly friendly city.

　　Izumo city has a population of 148,000 inhabitants and 48,213 families according to the 2005 population statistics. 5% of the population involves in primary industry, 31.5% in secondary industry and 59.3% in tertiary industry. Population growth rate is 0.22% with a density of 271 people/k ㎡.

　　Izumo City is rich in products of grapes, persimmon, broccoli, figs, mushroom, flower, inkstone, tilefish, beef, buckwheat, sugar cane and sake.

　　Izumo has created several firsts in Japan, the first local government to offer administrative service in weekend (Saturday and Sunday), the first city to give medical treatment to trees, the first city to build wooden gym and the highest lighthouse.

　　On July 2nd, 1991, Hanzhong Prefecture and Izumo City signed the agreement of friendly exchange relationship and began to have friendly cooperation. On July 2nd, 1996, Hanzhong City changed from Hanzhong Prefecture and Izumo City officially established sister city relationship. Up to now, top officials of the two cities have attached most importance and given great support to cooperation and exchange in the past more than 20 years. With the help and efforts from all works of life, the local governments of two cities have worked together and made great achievements in the fields of governmental administration, culture, education and sports, economy and trade.