Sawara expanded on February 11, 1955, by annexing the neighboring villages of Niijima, Okura, Mizuho and Tsunomiya.

Katori has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 22 members.

Katori, together with the neighboring towns of Kōzaki and Tako, contributes two members to the Chiba Prefectural Assembly.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of Chiba 10th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

The economy is primarily agricultural, with rice, chives, onions, and greater burdock as major crops.