Arakawa, Tokyo to the southwest, Bunkyo. South of Arakawa is Taito, and southeast is Sumida. The area was mainly agricultural in the Edo period. In 1651, Kozukappara, the Tokugawa's largest execution ground (now located next to Minami-Senju station), was built. Beginning in the Meiji era, the area became industrial as factories were built on the water front. In 1932, it became one of the 35 wards of Tokyo City. MIAT Mongolian Airlines's Tokyo Branch Office is on the fifth floor in the Tachibana Building in Arakawa. Iseki, a tractor and engine equipment manufacturer has its Tokyo head office in the ward. Arakawa
Alan Arakawa Arakawa ran for reelection. In the primaries he faced former mayor Kimo Apana and city councilwoman Charmaine Tavares, daughter of the late mayor Hannibal Tavares. In the primary, he trailed Tavares by about 100 votes. In the general election, he was defeated by Tavares. On June 18, 2010, Arakawa filed to run for the Mayor of Maui County. He placed second in the mayoral primary election on September 18, 2010. Incumbent Mayor Charmaine Tavares narrowly won the primary election with 7,307 votes, or 25.4% of the total. She defeated Arakawa by just 268 votes. Arakawa earned 7,039 votes, or 24.4%