Editing Ibaraki Prefecture (section)

== Economy ==
Ibaraki's economy is based on energy production (particularly nuclear energy), chemical and precision machining industries, research institutes, and tourism.  Agriculture, fishing, and livestock are also important sectors in the prefecture.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.invest.indus.pref.ibaraki.jp/en/about-ibaraki/|title=About Ibaraki|access-date=November 12, 2021|website=invest.indus.pref.ibaraki.jp|archive-date=November 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114013559/https://www.invest.indus.pref.ibaraki.jp/en/about-ibaraki/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Ibaraki's vast flat terrain make it highly suitable for industrial development. This complements its proximity to the Tokyo metropolitan area, giving it a high reputation as an industrial base. The prefecture is also home to [[Tsukuba]], Japan's most extensive research and academic city, and the birthplace of [[Hitachi]], Ltd.<ref>{{Cite web |title=data {{!}} Attractive Local Regions in Japan - Investing in Japan - Japan External Trade Organization |url=https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/region/data/ibaraki.html |access-date=2022-07-04 |website=ジェトロ |language=en |archive-date=2022-06-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627150914/https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/region/data/ibaraki.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Mt.Tsukuba 22.jpg|thumb|Paddy field at the foot of Mt. Tsukuba]]
[[File:Sweet potato field in Namegata, Ibaraki 06.jpg|thumb|Sweet potato field in Namegata]]

=== Agriculture ===
With extensive flat lands, abundant water, and suitable climate, Ibaraki is among the prefectures with the highest agricultural production in Japan. It plays an important role in supplying food to the Tokyo metropolitan area. Its main products include melons, pears, peppers, various varieties of rice and sugar cane, as well as flowers and ornamental plants.

It also supplies other food crops to the rest of the country. As of March 2011, the prefecture produced 25% of Japan's bell peppers and Chinese cabbage.<ref>Schreiber, Mark, "[http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fd20110417bj.html Japan's food crisis goes beyond recent panic buying] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110420001603/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fd20110417bj.html |date=2011-04-20 }}", ''[[The Japan Times]]'', 17 April 2011, p. 9.</ref>

=== Fishing===
It is one of the prefectures with the highest fish production in the country; in the Pacific Ocean, Lake Kasumigaura, other lagoons and rivers, various species of fish are obtained.

===Cattle===
The Hitachigyū cattle (常 陸 牛 - ひたちぎゅう - Hitachi-gyū, Hitachi-ushi), which is a prefectural bovine breed, is noteworthy in livestock. The name comes from the kanji 常 陸 (Hitachi), the name of the ancient Hitachi Province and 牛 (ushi or gyū, beef).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hitachiwagyu.com/conp/01abouthitachiwagyubeef.html|title=Breed info, About Hitachiwagyū Beef|access-date=November 12, 2021|website=hitachiwagyu.com|archive-date=October 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022214255/https://hitachiwagyu.com/conp/01abouthitachiwagyubeef.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Background. In 1833 Tokugawa Nariaki (徳川 斉昭) established the breeding of black cattle in the present Migawa-chō (見川 町) of the city of Mito. Originally it remained mainly in the northern part of the prefecture, but later it spread throughout the prefecture.
[[File:Cyberdyne Inc Building day photo01.jpg|thumb|[[Cyberdyne Inc.]] in Tsukuba]]

===Industrial centers===
* Hitachi area. Grouping of industries, such as electrical, electronic and machinery. More than 1,300 companies; many of them hired by the [[Hitachi]] company, which was founded in Sukegawa ([[Hitachi, Ibaraki|Hitachi]] City) in 1910.
* Tōkai area. Atomic Energy Research Organization Grouping. [[J-PARC]], Proton Accelerator Research Complex.
* Tsukuba area. 32 institutes for education and research. Manipulation of matter at the level of atoms (nanotechnology). Robotic security center for support in daily life. Space center.
* Kashima area. Grouping of materials industries, such as steel and petrochemicals, around 160 companies.