Kumamoto

prefecture, Japan

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History

Kumamoto, ken (prefecture), located in central Kyushu, Japan, facing the Amakusa Sea and including the Amakusa Islands. The city of Kumamoto is the prefectural capital. The prefecture, once predominantly agricultural, now has a strong manufacturing and service-oriented economy. Rice, fruits and vegetables, and livestock all contribute to agricultural production. Forestry is important in the interior mountains, as is fishing along the coasts and islands. Manufactures include electronics (notably semiconductors), automobiles, and processed foods. Tourism, of...

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