Ōta is the largest special ward in Tokyo by area, spanning 59.46 square kilometres (22.96 sq mi). As of 2024, the ward has an estimated population of 744,849, making it the third largest special ward by population, with a population density of 12,041 inhabitants per square kilometre (31,190/sq mi).
Notable neighborhoods and districts of Ōta include Kamata, the administrative center of the ward where the Ward Office and central Post Office is located, and Den-en-chōfu(田園調布), known for its wealthy residents and luxury homes. Haneda Airport, the busiest airport in Japan by passenger traffic is located in the ward.
History
The ward was founded on March 15, 1947, merging the old wards of Ōmori and Kamata. The ward's name originates from the combination of letters of the two merging wards, Ōmori (大森) and Kamata (蒲田), combined into 大田 (Ōta). The ward was previously second behind Setagaya in terms of being the largest special ward in Tokyo by area, but due to land reclamation in the Tokyo Bay for the expansion of the Haneda Airport(羽田空港), Ōta overtook Setagaya for first place.
Haneda Airport, now one of the two main domestic and international airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area (the other one being Narita Airport in Narita, Chiba) was first established as Haneda Airfield in 1931 in the town of Haneda, Ebara District of Tokyo Prefecture. Following Japan's surrender in 1945, the airfield was turned into the Haneda Army Air Base under the control of the United States Army. In the same year, Allied occupational authorities ordered the expansion of the airport, evicting people from the surroundings on 48 hours' notice. With the end of the occupation, the Americans returned part of the facility to Japanese control in 1952, completing the return in 1958. Haneda Airport first handled international traffic for Tokyo for the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Following the opening of Narita Airport in 1978, almost all international flights (with the exception of Taiwanese airlines) moved its operations to Narita Airport. International flights resumed in 2010 following the construction of a new International terminal.
Canon headquartersToyoko Inn headquarters in KamataSega original headquarters. After its offices were relocated to Shinagawa in January 2018, the original office in Ota was later sold in February 2019 and will likely be torn down.
The following companies have their headquarters in Ōta.
Namco, best known for video game franchises such as Pac-Man, Galaxian, and Ace Combat, were headquartered in Ota.[13] The company moved its operations there in 1985, using the funds generated from the successful Family Computer port of Xevious to fund the construction of its office.[14][15] The building was taken over by Namco Bandai Games after it absorbed Namco in 2006, and later by an unrelated Namco company that focused on video arcades and theme parks. The newer Namco company moved out of the building in 2014 and it was demolished two years later.[14]
In 2000 All Nippon Airways was headquartered by Tokyo International Airport in Ōta.[18] In 2002 Air Nippon was headquartered on the fifth floor of the Utility Center Building (ユーティリティセンタービル, Yūtiriti Sentā Biru) at Haneda Airport in Ōta.[19] The ANA subsidiary Air Nippon Network was also based at the airport.[20]
Before its dissolution, Galaxy Airlines was headquartered in the ARC Building on the airport grounds.[21]
Sega and its parent company Sega Sammy Holdings, best known for its Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, was originally headquartered in Ōta. However, Sega Sammy Holdings announced in April 2017 that it would relocate its head office functions and domestic subsidiaries to Shinagawa-ku by January 2018. This was to consolidate scattered head office functions including Sega Sammy Holdings, Sammy Corporation, Sega Holdings, Sega Games, Atlus, Sammy Network, and Dartslive. After the relocation to Shinagawa was complete, Sega's previous headquarters in Ōta was later sold in February 2019 and will likely be torn down.
Gakken was headquartered in Ōta from 1962 until 2008 when they moved their headquarters to Shinagawa.[22]
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