Since midieval times, Yokkaichi has been known as a market town. In Yedo times, it was a well-known night post for travellers, as well as a port town, together with the city of Atsuta (Aichi Prefecture) located on the other side of the Ise Bay. Yokkaichi developed remarkably during the Meiji period, under the guidance of Inaba Sanuemon, a rich merchant who sponsored the construction of the port facilities. This undertaking, started in 1872, took 12 years until completion due to difficulties from typhoons and finance. After the port facilities were built, many ships began to lay anchor there. This port city was designated as an official international port in 1899. This city, formerly known for its seed oil, Banko ceramics, and Ise tea has developed into a port that now handles cotton, wool, glass, and heavy equipment.
The closest major city is Nagoya in Aichi prefecture.
It is a manufacturing center that produces banko ware (a kind of porcelain), automobiles, cotton textiles, chemicals, tea, cement, and computer parts such as DRAM by Toshiba subsidiary Yokkaichi Toshiba Electronics.
The city was designated a 'modern city' on August 1, 1897. From 1960 to 1972, the city residents suffered health problems caused by the emission of SOx into the atmosphere from local oil chemical plants. In Japan, a disease called Yokkaichi zensoku (Yokkaichi Asthma) derives its name from the city, and it is considered one of the Four Big Pollution Diseases of Japan.
