Sasebo, Nagasaki

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**Sasebo**
**佐世保市**
Sasebo's location in Nagasaki, Japan.
Location
Country	Japan
Region	Kyūshū
Prefecture	Nagasaki
Physical characteristics
Area	363.88 km² (140.5 sq mi)
Population (as of 2006)
Total	258,324
Density	709.91/km² (1,838.7/sq mi)
Location	33°11′N, 129°43′E
Symbols
Sasebo Government Office
Official website: City of Sasebo

Sasebo (佐世保市, Sasebo-shi^?) is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2006, the city has an estimated population of 258,324 and the density of 709.91 persons per km². The total area is 363.88 km². The city was founded on April 1, 1902.

The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park Located in the southern part of the city, is the Dutch theme park Huis ten Bosch.

A base of US Navy, U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo, is located in Sasebo. Some parts of the base are shared with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Adjacent to the naval base there is Sasebo Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. shipyard. Sasebo Station is the westernmost station in the JR system. The order to attack Pearl Harbor was broadcast from the Hario radio facility in Sasebo.

1 Points of interest
2 Gallery
3 Mitarai incident
4 External links

Huis ten Bosch (theme park)
Sasebo Zoological Park and Botanical Garden
ShinSakai Bridge is a place where one can see many exciting whirlpools.

Sunset at the Ninety-nine islands in Sasebo	Sasebo Harbor from Mt. Yumihari	Radio tower from which the "Climb Mt. Niitaka" message was broadcast	Tops like this one are popular souvenirs of Sasebo.
Illuminated by the Albuquerque Bridge, Japanese volunteers place candle lit lanterns into the Sasebo River during the Obon festival.

The city was also the site of the murder of 12-year-old Satomi Mitarai on June 1, 2004. Mitarai was killed by a classmate with a box cutter at Okubo Elementary School. The incident was rapidly publicized by the creation of the Internet meme character Nevada-tan, a caricature based on Mitarai's killer (whose real name has been withheld in accordance with Japanese law).