Yawata << yah WAH tah >> is an important center of Japan’s heavy industry. It is part of the city of Kitakyushu, which lies on the northern coast of the island of Kyushu. Mills at Yawata make pig iron from imported ore and produce much of Japan’s steel. Yawata is near coal mines and has coke plants. During World War II, Yawata was the target of the first United States B-29 air raid on Japan, on June 15, 1944.
