Hokkaido - Subprefectures

Subprefectures

From April 2010 Hokkaido has 9 General Subprefectural Bureaus (総合振興局) and 5 Subprefectural Bureaus (振興局). Prior to that, Hokkaido is one of eight prefectures in Japan that have subprefectures (支庁 shichō). However, it is the only one of the eight to have such offices covering the whole of its territory outside the main cities (rather than having them just for outlying islands or remote areas). This is mostly due to its great size: many parts of the prefecture are simply too far away to be effectively administered by Sapporo. Subprefectural offices in Hokkaidō carry out many of the duties that prefectural offices fulfill elsewhere in Japan.

1 a 2 3 b 4 c 5 d 6 7 8 9 e
Subprefecture Japanese Capital Largest city Pop.
(2009)
Area
(km²)
Municipals
1 Sorachi 空知総合振興局 Iwamizawa Iwamizawa 338,485 5,791.19 10 cities, 14 villages
a ↳ Ishikari 石狩振興局 Sapporo Sapporo 2,324,878 3,539.86 6 cities, 1 town, 1 village
2 Shiribeshi 後志総合振興局 Kutchan Otaru 234,984 4,305.83 1 city, 13 towns, 6 villages
3 Iburi 胆振総合振興局 Muroran Tomakomai 419,115 3,698.00 4 cities, 7 towns
b ↳ Hidaka 日高振興局 Urakawa Shinhidaka 76,084 4,811.97 7 towns
4 Oshima 渡島総合振興局 Hakodate Hakodate 433,475 3,936.46 2 cities, 9 towns
c ↳ Hiyama 檜山振興局 Esashi Setana 43,210 2,629.94 7 towns
5 Kamikawa 上川総合振興局 Asahikawa Asahikawa 527,575 10,619.20 4 cities, 17 towns, 2 villages
d ↳ Rumoi 留萌振興局 Rumoi Rumoi 53,916 3,445.75 1 city, 6 towns, 1 village
6 Sōya 宗谷総合振興局 Wakkanai Wakkanai 71,423 4,625.09 1 city, 8 towns, 1 village
7 Okhotsk オホーツク総合振興局 Abashiri Kitami 309,487 10,690.62 3 cities, 14 towns, 1 village
8 Tokachi 十勝総合振興局 Obihiro Obihiro 353,291 10,831.24 1 city, 16 towns, 2 villages
9 Kushiro 釧路総合振興局 Kushiro Kushiro 252,571 5,997.38 1 city, 6 towns, 1 village
e ↳ Nemuro 根室振興局 Nemuro Nemuro 84,035 3,406.23 1 city, 4 towns
Japan claims the southern part of Kuril Islands (Northern Territories), currently administered by Russia,
belong to Nemuro Subprefecture divided into 6 villages. However, the table above excludes these islands' data.

Before the current political divisions and after 1869, Hokkaidō was divided into provinces. See Former Provinces of Hokkaidō.

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