On January 11, 2005 Ōzu annexed neighboring Nagahama, Hijikawa, and Kawabe municipalities. Government Ōzu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 21 members. Ōzu, together with the town of Uchiko contributes two members to the Ehime Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Ehime 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. Economy Ōzu was once noted for its production of electronics; however, its factory by Matsushita Kotobuki Electronics closed in 2010 due to rapid deterioration in business performance. The economy is now centered on Agriculture (vegetables, livestock, citrus fruits) and forestry, with manufacturing of toothbrushes an important local product. Education Ōzu has 20 public elementary schools and nine public middle schools operated by the city government, and four public high schools operated by the Ehime Prefectural Board of Education. The city also has one private middle school and two private high schools. Transportation Railway Shikoku Railway Company - Yosan Line - - - - - - - - - - Shikoku Railway Company - Uchiko Line - Highways Matsuyama Expressway Local attractions Ōzu's flourishing silk and wax industries brought great wealth and prosperity, particularly at the turn of 20th century. Refinement and cultural discernment followed suit. This resulted in a thriving urban environment of various historical layers, remnants of which are still standing: -Ōzu Castle (大洲城, Ōzu-jō) (four of its turrets were declared Important Cultural Property in 1957) -Nyohō Temple (如法寺, Nyohō-ji) Buddhist temple of the Rinzai sect founded in 1669 by monk Bankei (盤珪永琢 Bankei Yōtaku) together with Katō Yasuoki, second daimyo of the Katō clan. (Important Cultural Property since 1992). Its Zen meditation hall displays a Siddhattha Gotama (釈迦如来像, Shakanyorai-zō) sculpture, flanked by elevated tatami, a rather unusual setting in zazen (座禅) dedicated spaces . -Ōzu Akarenga-kan (おおず赤煉瓦館）or Red Brick Wall. Main branch of former Ōzu Commercial Bank (大洲産業銀行, Ōzu Sangyō Ginkō) built in 1901, evoking Western architecture. Municipal Important Asset. -Garyū Sansō (臥龍山荘) Set of three tea pavilions within a lavish roji (路地) -tea ceremony garden- overhanging the Hiji River. Built by silk and tea trade champion Torajiro (河内 寅次郎, Kōuchi Torajiro) as a personal retreat. It doubled as a Noh Theatre stage and was berth of the local kaketsukuri (懸け造り) architecture style. Completed between 1901 and 1907. (Important Cultural Property from 2016) -Nagahama Great Bridge (長浜大橋, Nagahama