▁sp anned ▁. ▁The ▁Ok ina wa ▁Pref ect ural ▁Rail ways ▁It oman ▁Line ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁and ▁operated ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁ ▁It oman ▁was ▁a ▁final ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ok ina wa ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁The ▁area ▁saw ▁enorm ous ▁cas ual ties ▁to ▁both ▁military ▁forces ▁and ▁civ ili ans . ▁It oman ▁is ▁noted ▁for ▁the ▁H ime y uri ▁But ai , ▁a ▁field ▁hospital ▁n urs ing ▁corps ▁of ▁ 2 2 1 ▁high - school ▁students ▁who ▁committed ▁suic ide ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁battle . ▁ ▁Administr ative ▁history ▁It oman ▁was ▁established ▁as ▁a ▁town ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁it ▁absor bed ▁the ▁villages ▁of ▁Kan eg us u ku , ▁Tak am ine , ▁and ▁Mi wa . ▁It oman ▁was ▁elev ated ▁to ▁city ▁status ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 1 . ▁ ▁Government ▁It oman ▁is ▁admin ister ed ▁from ▁the ▁city ▁hall ▁in ▁Sh io z aki . ▁The ▁It oman ▁Board ▁of ▁Education ▁over se es ▁the ▁pr esch ool , ▁elementary , ▁and ▁middle ▁school , ▁community ▁education ▁cent ers , ▁and ▁sports ▁facilities ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁The ▁It oman ▁City ▁Council ▁consists ▁of ▁ 2 3 ▁members ▁who ▁serve ▁a ▁four - year ▁term , ▁and ▁are ▁led ▁by ▁a ▁chair person ▁( Is ao ▁U eh