1893. Odakyu Railways's Odawara line was constructed through Komae in 1926, linking it with Shinjuku in central Tokyo. Expanding population led to Komae being upgraded to the status of a town in 1952, and to a city on October 1, 1970. On September 1, 1974, Tama River's levee failed during a typhoon, and 19 houses were destroyed by torrential flooding. The riverbanks have now been strengthened. A small memorial stands at the location of the levee failure. Government Komae has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 26 members. The current mayor is Kunihiko Takahashi, an independent heading a coalition of the Democratic Party of Japan with the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan and the Komeito, which ousted long-term Japanese Communist Party mayor Yutaka Yano in 2012. Komae, together with the city of Chōfu, contributes three members to the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Tokyo 26th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. 2007 Komae city assembly election Education The one public high school, Komae High School, is operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education. Komae has six public elementary schools and four junior high schools schools operated by the city. Public junior high schools: Komae No. 1 (狛江第一中学校) Komae No. 2 (狛江第二中学校) Komae No. 3 (狛江第三中学校) Komae No. 4 (狛江第四中学校) Public elementary schools: Izumi (和泉小学校) Komae No. 1 (狛江第一小学校) Komae No. 3 (狛江第三小学校) Komae No. 5 (狛江第五小学校) Komae No. 6 (狛江第六小学校) Midorino (緑野小学校) Transportation Railway Odakyu Electric Railway – Odakyū Odawara Line - (Some areas in the north of the city have better access to Keiō Line stations in neighbouring Chōfu city.) Highway Komae is not served by any national highways or expressways. Local attractions Annual events in Komae include a raft-race on Tama River every July, and a city fair in mid-November. The town has a group of festival mascots called Komarangers; their purpose is to cheer up the citizens of the town. They come in five colors: red, blue, green, yellow, and pink. Notable people from Komae Sadao Araki. Army general and pre-war rightwing politician Sumire Haruno. Takarazuka actress References External links Komae City Official Website Cities in Tokyo Western Tokyo