Kashima coastal industrial area

An industrial region in the southeastern part of Ibaraki Prefecture, spanning the two cities of Kashima and Kamisu. Kashima Port was built by digging into the Kashima Sand Dunes, and the industrial region was developed on the sand dunes. The region is blessed with a port capable of accommodating 200,000-ton tankers, vast land area, abundant industrial water, a warm marine climate, and is conveniently located near the Keihin Industrial Zone. The concept was announced in 1960 (Showa 35) to help Ibaraki Prefecture overcome its backwardness, and implementation began the following year as the "Kashima Waterfront Industrial Zone Development Plan." In 1963, the region was designated a special industrial development zone by the Cabinet, and the groundbreaking ceremony for Kashima Port was held shortly thereafter. The plan was to develop industrial sites, ports, residential areas, etc. on 10,000 hectares, about 40% of the current combined area of ​​the two cities, between 1963 and 1980, and to attract steel, oil, and electricity companies, thereby increasing the population to 300,000 and increasing the value of industrial shipments from 4.6 billion yen, mainly from marine product processing, to 1.1 trillion yen (including thermal power generation). The development of the Kamisu and Kashima districts, which have Kashima Port, was the first to begin, and in 1969 the rolling mill of Sumitomo Metal Industries (now Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal) began operation. In 1970, the JR Kashima Line and Kashima Rinkai Railway began operations, and oil refining, petrochemical, steelmaking, and thermal power generation also began operations, and 250,000-ton tankers also began arriving at the port, making for smooth progress. In 1976, the combined value of manufactured goods shipped from Kashima Town (now Kashima City) and Kamisu Town (now Kamisu City) reached 1.3 trillion yen, nearly achieving the plan. Development in the Hasaki area was delayed due to the recession following the 1973 oil crisis, but companies decided to locate there in 1980. The area is mainly large-scale material production-type industries, with no secondary or tertiary processing companies, and problems remain such as the absorption of local labor, the formation of living areas, and pollution. However, in 1994 (Heisei 6), the value of manufactured goods shipped from the one city and two towns (Kashima, Kamisu, and Hasaki at the time) reached 1.67 trillion yen, and it can be said that the area has had a major effect on changing the industrial structure of Ibaraki Prefecture.

[Akitoshi Sakurai]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

茨城県南東部、鹿嶋市(かしまし)と、神栖市(かみすし)の2市にまたがる工業地域。鹿島砂丘を掘り込んで築港した鹿島港と、砂丘地を開発した工業地域である。20万トン級タンカーが入港できる港と広大な用地や豊富な工業用水に恵まれ、海洋性の温暖な気候をもつ地域で、かつ京浜工業地帯に近接するなど有利な立地条件をもつ。茨城県の後進性を脱却するため1960年（昭和35）に構想を発表、翌年「鹿島臨海工業地帯造成計画」として実施に着手した。1963年に工業整備特別地域に閣議決定、早くも鹿島港の起工式が行われた。計画は現在の2市合計面積の約40％にあたる1万ヘクタールを対象に、工業用地、港湾、住居地域などを1963年から1980年までに造成し、鉄鋼、石油、電力などの企業を誘致し、これにより人口30万、工業出荷額は水産加工を主とした46億円から1兆1000億円（火力発電を含む）にしようとしたものである。鹿島港をもつ神栖、鹿島両地区の開発を先行し、1969年には住友金属工業（現、新日鉄住金）の圧延工場が操業を開始した。1970年にはJR鹿島線、鹿島臨海鉄道が営業開始、石油精製、石油化学、製鉄、火力発電も操業を始め、25万トンタンカーも入港するなど順調に進展した。1976年には製造品出荷額は鹿島町（現、鹿嶋市）、神栖町（現、神栖市）あわせて1兆30億円をあげ、ほぼ計画を達成した。波崎地区は1973年石油危機以後の不況を受けて開発が遅れたが、1980年企業の立地決定をみた。大規模素材生産型の工業が主で、二次、三次加工企業がなく、地元労力の吸収、生活圏の形成、公害など問題は残っている。しかし、1994年（平成6）、製造品出荷額は鹿嶋、神栖、波崎の1市2町（当時）で1兆6700億円に達し、茨城県の産業構造を変えた効果は大きいといえよう。

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