Genkai, Saga
History. The great Heisei merger. All other towns and villages from Higashimatsuura District were incorporated into Karatsu between 2005 and 2006. Genkai originally planned to merge into Karatsu with the rest of the district, but was concerned about the slow administrative response of the surrounding areas. Eventually they withdrew their decision to merge and decided to continue as an autonomous municipality. Genkai is now enjoying a relatively high amount of revenue from the Genkai Nuclear Power Plant, built in 1975, but there is a question as to its administration in the future. Geography. The town is located on  the northwestern edge of the prefecture on the Higashimatsuura Peninsula and faces the Genkai Sea on its west side. It is located about 50 km (31 mi) northwest of the city of Saga and about west of Fukuoka. Genkai is home to one of sixteen nuclear power plants in Japan, with the only other nuclear power plant in the Kyūshū area being located in Kagoshima Prefecture. It is the only town in the Higashimatsuura District of Saga that has not merged with Karatsu. Education. Genkai has one public high school overseen by the prefectural government, and one combined elementary/middle  school operated by the city government. Previously home to four elementary schools and two junior highschools, in 2017 these schools were amalgamated into Genkai Mirai. Opened on April 1, 2015, the school had 498 students from grades 1 - 9 across 19 classes and 6 special needs classes. Transportation. Rail. There are no train stations in Genkai. Bus. Local public buses are run by the SHOWA bus company. School buses are available for all students attending Genkai Mirai.