Chūō is one of 9 wards of Kobe, Japan. It has an area of 28.46 km2, and a population of 127,602 with 74,814 households as of January 31, 2012. The ward was formed from the 1980 merger of the former Fukiai-ku and Ikuta-ku. The Consulate-General of Panama in Kobe is located on the eighth floor of the Moriyama Building in Chūō-ku.