Part of the present day city were under the control of Kariya Domain, a feudal han under the Tokugawa shogunate.

[4] After the Meiji restoration, Chiryū Town was created within Hekikai District, Aichi Prefecture on 1 October 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system.

Chiryū has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 20 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of Aichi District 13 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

The city has numerous road and rail connections to downtown Nagoya and is increasingly becoming a commuter town.