KAINAN

city, Wakayama ken (prefecture), Honshu, Japan, on Wakanoura Bay. It was formed in 1934 with the merger of the towns of Kuroe, Hiigata, and Uchiumi. The city has been known since the Tokugawa period for its Kuroe-nuri lacquerware and the production of Japanese umbrellas. Kainan's modern industry includes petrochemical plants developed on reclaimed parts of the coast. Pop. (1990) 48,598.