In 1876 , AnÅ tsu Prefecture and Watarai Prefecture joined to become Mie Prefecture . In 1872 , the AnÅ tsu prefectural seat moved from Tsu to Yokkaichi , and the prefecture itself was renamed Mie . For a variety of reasons , including the strong likelihood that Mie would eventually merge with Watarai , the prefectural seat returned to Tsu the following year , and Mie Prefecture took its present-day form in 1876 , when it merged with its southern neighbor .