| Fukuoka is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan, across the Tsushima Strait from South Korea's Busan.
It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by Kitakyushu. It is the largest city and metropolitan area west of Osaka. The city was designated on April 1, 1972 by government ordinance. Greater Fukuoka with 2.5 million people (2005 Census), is part of the heavily industrialized North Kyushu zone.
Fukuoka is served by Fukuoka Airport, the Sanyo Shinkansen high speed rail line at Hakata Station and by ferry. JR Kyushu operates a hydrofoil between Hakata and Busan, South Korea. The subway opened a new line, the Nanakuma line, on February 2, 2005.
Fukuoka has produced a higher number of successful music artists than any other city in Japan. Big names in J-pop include Ayumi Hamasaki (allegedly Japan's richest woman), hugely popular singer/songwriter duo Chage & Aska, Misia and Yui. During the 1970s, local musicians prided themselves on their origins and dubbed their sound, Mentai Rock. In recent years, the music scene has been rejuvenated by the willingness of local players to perform with foreign musicians located in the area. These hybrid bands include the likes of Fever, Cut Flowers, Dr. Funkinstein, F8 & The Routes.
Fukuoka is bordered on three sides by mountains and opens, on the north, to the Sea of Genkai. Much of the city is now built on reclaimed land, with ongoing developments in Higashi-ku building more artificial islands.
Located 1,100 km from Tokyo, 540 km from Seoul and 870 km from Shanghai, 1300 km from Taipei, Fukuoka's proximity to Korea, China and Taiwan has led it to seek closer ties with those countries while acting as a hub for Asian cultural and economic exchange.
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