Special wards of Tokyo

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/special-wards-of-tokyo

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Where is Special wards of Tokyo?Eastern Tokyo, Japan
2. How many people live in Special wards of Tokyo?Approximately 9.8 million residents (as of 2024)
3. How big is Special wards of Tokyo?627 square kilometers (242 sq mi)
4. When was Special wards of Tokyo built?Re-established as special wards in 1947 under the Local Autonomy Law
5. What are the 23 special wards of Tokyo?They are 23 cities that together make up the heart of Tokyo. Each ward acts like its own city with a mayor and council.
6. Why are the wards called "special"?They have a unique status that lets them run like independent cities while still being part of Tokyo, which is different from other places in Japan.

Special Wards (Tokubetsu-ku): City-level municipalities within Tokyo, possessing unique administrative autonomy.
Municipality: A political unit, such as a city or town, with its own local government.
Municipal Autonomy: The legal right and power of a local government to govern itself.
Tokyo Metropolitan Prefecture: The administrative division of Tokyo, comprising the 23 special wards and other municipalities.