View source for Subprefectures of Hokkaido

{{short description|List of subprefectures in Hokkaido, Japan}}

{{One source|date=October 2018}}

[[Hokkaido|Hokkaido Prefecture]] had 14 branch offices called 支庁 (shichō) in [[Japanese language|Japanese]], which is often translated in English as '''subprefectures'''. Normally, a subprefecture consists of a few to a dozen cities, towns, and/or villages. From April 2010, Hokkaido has nine General Subprefecture Bureaus (総合振興局, sōgō-shinkō-kyoku, literally "Comprehensive Promotion Bureau") and five Subprefecture Bureaus (振興局, shinkō-kyoku, literally "Promotion Bureau")).

For historical reasons, some older people in Hokkaido use the subprefecture name suffixed by ''-kannai'' in their address.

==History==
{|
|width="50px"| 1897 || Nineteen ''shichō'' were placed under Hokkaido Agency (an agency of the national government): [[Sapporo]], [[Hakodate]], Kameda, Matsumae, Hiyama, Suttsu, Iwanai, Otaru, Sorachi, Kamikawa, Mashike, Souya, Abashiri, Muroran, Urakawa, Kushiro, Kasai, Nemuro, and Shana.
|-
| 1899 || Sapporo-''ku'', Hakodate-''ku'', and Otaru-''ku'' were established as municipalities independent of ''shichō''. Sapporo-''shichō'' and Otaru-''shichō'' were continued with remaining area, but Hakodate-''shichō'' was dissolved. Previous Kameda-''shichō'' was renamed Hakodate-''shichō''.
|-
| 1903 || Matsumae-''shichō'' was merged with Hakodate-''shichō''. Shana-''shichō'' was merged with Nemuro-''shichō''.
|-
| 1910 || Suttsu-''shichō'', Iwanai-''shichō'', and Otaru-''shichō'' were merged to form Shiribeshi-''shichō''.
|-
| 1914 || Asahikawa-''ku'' was established as a municipality independent of Kamikawa-''shichō''. Mashike-''shichō'' was renamed as Rumoi-''shichō''.
|-
| 1918 || Muroran-''ku'' was established as a municipality independent of Muroran-''shichō''.
|-
| 1920 || Kushiro-''ku'' was established as a municipality independent of Kushiro-''shichō''.
|-
| 1922 || The six ''ku'' were restated as ''shi'' (cities). Sapporo-''shichō'' was renamed Ishikari-''shichō''. Hakodate-''shichō'' was renamed Oshima-''shichō''. Muroran-''shichō'' was renamed Iburi-''shichō''.
|-
| 1932 || Urakawa-''shichō'' was renamed Hidaka-''shichō''. Kasai-''shichō'' was renamed Tokachi-''shichō''.
|-
| 1947 || Hokkaido Agency was abolished and [[Hokkaido|Hokkaido Prefecture]] was established. Hokkaido Prefecture took over ''shichō''.
|}

== List of subprefectures ==
{{further|Former Provinces of Hokkaido}}
{{see also|List of mergers in Hokkaido}}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
| colspan="11" style="text-align: center; padding-left: 18%" |{{Image label begin|image=Subprefectures of Hokkaido.svg|width=500}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.38|y=0.40|text='''1'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.32|y=0.45|text='''a'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.23|y=0.48|text='''2'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.28|y=0.55|text='''3'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.45|y=0.55|text='''b'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.21|y=0.65|text='''4'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.1|y=0.6|text='''c'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.47|y=0.32|text='''5'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.37|y=0.29|text='''d'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.4|y=0.1|text='''6'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.60|y=0.32|text='''7'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.55|y=0.50|text='''8'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.69|y=0.46|text='''9'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.76|y=0.37|text='''e'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.87|y=0.27|text='''<small>(disputed)</small>'''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=1.00|y=0.1|text='''<small>(disputed)</small>'''}}
{{Image label end}}
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |[[Subprefectures of Japan|Subprefecture]]
! rowspan="2" |Japanese
! rowspan="2" |Capital
! rowspan="2" |Largest municipality
! rowspan="2" |Pop.<br />(2009)
! rowspan="2" |Area<br/>(km<sup>2</sup>)
! rowspan="2" |Pop. Density
! colspan="3" |[[Municipalities of Japan|Municipalities]]
|-
!Cities !!Towns !!Villages
|-
!1
|'''[[Sorachi Subprefecture|Sorachi]]'''
|{{lang|ja|空知総合振興局}}
|[[Iwamizawa]]
|Iwamizawa
| align="right" |338,485
| align="right" |5,791.19
|58.45
|10 || 14 || 0
|-
!a
|↳ '''[[Ishikari Subprefecture|Ishikari]]'''
|{{lang|ja|石狩振興局}}
|[[Sapporo]]
|Sapporo
| align="right" |2,324,878
| align="right" |3,539.86
|656.77
|6 || 1 || 1
|-
!2
|'''[[Shiribeshi Subprefecture|Shiribeshi]]'''
|{{lang|ja|後志総合振興局}}
|[[Kutchan, Hokkaido|Kutchan]]
|[[Otaru, Hokkaido|Otaru]]
| align="right" |234,984
| align="right" |4,305.83
|54.57
|1 || 13 || 6
|-
!3
|'''[[Iburi Subprefecture|Iburi]]'''
|{{lang|ja|胆振総合振興局}}
|[[Muroran]]
|[[Tomakomai, Hokkaido|Tomakomai]]
| align="right" |419,115
| align="right" |3,698.00
|113.34
|4 || 7 || 0
|-
!b
|↳ '''[[Hidaka Subprefecture|Hidaka]]'''
|{{lang|ja|日高振興局}}
|[[Urakawa, Hokkaido|Urakawa]]
|[[Shinhidaka, Hokkaido|Shinhidaka]]
| align="right" |76,084
| align="right" |4,811.97
|15.81
| 0|| 7 || 0
|-
!4
|'''[[Oshima Subprefecture|Oshima]]'''
|{{lang|ja|渡島総合振興局}}
|[[Hakodate]]
|Hakodate
| align="right" |433,475
| align="right" |3,936.46
|110.12
|2 || 9 || 0
|-
!c
|↳ '''[[Hiyama Subprefecture|Hiyama]]'''
|{{lang|ja|檜山振興局}}
|[[Esashi, Hokkaido (Hiyama)|Esashi]]
|[[Setana, Hokkaido|Setana]]
| align="right" |43,210
| align="right" |2,629.94
|16.43
| 0|| 7 ||0
|-
!5
|'''[[Kamikawa Subprefecture|Kamikawa]]'''
|{{lang|ja|上川総合振興局}}
|[[Asahikawa]]
|Asahikawa
| align="right" |527,575
| align="right" |10,619.20
|49.68
|4 || 17 || 2
|-
!d
|↳ '''[[Rumoi Subprefecture|Rumoi]]'''
|{{lang|ja|留萌振興局}}
|[[Rumoi, Hokkaido|Rumoi]]
|Rumoi
| align="right" |53,916
| align="right" |3,445.75
|15.65
|1 || 6 || 1
|-
!6
|'''[[Sōya Subprefecture|Sōya]]'''
|{{lang|ja|宗谷総合振興局}}
|[[Wakkanai]]
|Wakkanai
| align="right" |71,423
| align="right" |4,625.09
|15.44
|1 || 8 || 1
|-
!7
|'''[[Okhotsk Subprefecture|Okhotsk]]'''
|{{lang|ja|オホーツク総合振興局}}
|[[Abashiri]]
|[[Kitami, Hokkaido|Kitami]]
| align="right" |309,487
| align="right" |10,690.62
|28.95
|3 || 14 || 1
|-
!8
|'''[[Tokachi Subprefecture|Tokachi]]'''
|{{lang|ja|十勝総合振興局}}
|[[Obihiro]]
|Obihiro
| align="right" |353,291
| align="right" |10,831.24
|32.62
|1 || 16 || 2
|-
!9
|'''[[Kushiro Subprefecture|Kushiro]]'''
|{{lang|ja|釧路総合振興局}}
|[[Kushiro]]
|Kushiro
| align="right" |252,571
| align="right" |5,997.38
|42.11
|1 || 6 || 1
|-
!e
|↳ '''[[Nemuro Subprefecture|Nemuro]]'''
|{{lang|ja|根室振興局}}
|[[Nemuro, Hokkaido|Nemuro]]
|Nemuro
| align="right" |84,035
| align="right" |3,406.23
|24.67
|1 || 4 || {{center|*}}
|-
| colspan="11" |* Japan claims the southern part of [[Kuril Islands]] ([[Kuril Islands dispute|Northern Territories]]), currently administered by Russia, <br />belong to Nemuro Subprefecture divided into six villages. However, the table above excludes these islands' data.
|}

==Reorganisation==
The prefectural government of Hokkaido planned to reorganise the current fourteen subprefectures into nine sub-prefectural bureaus. Five subprefectures, namely Hidaka, Hiyama, Ishikari, Nemuro, and Rumoi were subject to be cut down. The capital municipalities of these subprefectures opposed the plan, but on June 28, 2008, the prefectural council passed the ordinance of the reorganization.<ref>{{in lang|ja}} [http://www.namara-hokkaido.net/topics/news/news.php?id=15017 釧路支庁が道東総合振興局に、道の支庁改革条例成立] (Kushiro Subprefecture will be Dōtō General Development Bureau, the ordinance for the sub-prefectural reformation is passed), by Kushiro Shinbun, June 29, 2008</ref> The change should have taken effect in April 2009.

However, it was impossible to make the reform on time. The Public Offices Election Act and the Election Law were not amended on April 1, 2009, but the amendment the Public Offices Election Act was passed in the prefectural assembly on March 31, 2009, and took effect from April 1, 2010.

===List of subprefecture bureaus===
*[[Sorachi General Subprefectural Bureau]] (空知総合振興局), Iwamizawa, covering Ishikari and Sorachi areas. ([[Horokanai, Hokkaido|Horokanai]] belongs to Kamikawa Subprefectural Bureau.)
**[[Ishikari Subprefectural Bureau]] (石狩振興局), Sapporo, covering Ishikari area
*[[Shiribeshi General Subprefectural Bureau]] (後志総合振興局), Kutchan, covering Shiribeshi area
*[[Iburi General Subprefectural Bureau]] (胆振総合振興局), Muroran, covering Iburi and Hidaka areas
**[[Hidaka Subprefectural Bureau]] (日高振興局), Urakawa, covering Hidaka area
*[[Oshima General Subprefectural Bureau]] (渡島総合振興局), Hakodate, covering Oshima and Hiyama areas
**[[Hiyama Subprefectural Bureau]] (檜山振興局), Esashi, covering Hiyama area
*[[Kamikawa General Subprefectural Bureau]] (上川総合振興局), Asahikawa, covering Kamikawa and Rumoi areas
**[[Rumoi Subprefectural Bureau]] (留萌振興局), Rumoi, covering Rumoi area. ([[Horonobe, Hokkaido|Horonobe]] belongs to Soya Subprefectural Bureau.)
*[[Sōya General Subprefectural Bureau]] (宗谷総合振興局), Wakkanai, covering Sōya area
*[[Okhotsk General Subprefectural Bureau]] (オホーツク総合振興局), Abashiri, covering Abashiri area
*[[Tokachi General Subprefectural Bureau]] (十勝総合振興局), Obihiro, covering Tokachi area
*[[Kushiro General Subprefectural Bureau]] (釧路総合振興局), Kushiro, covering Kushiro and Nemuro areas
**[[Nemuro Subprefectural Bureau]] (根室振興局), Nemuro, covering Nemuro area

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/gyosei/shicho/index.htm Official websites] of the subprefectural bureaus {{in lang|ja}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130903112433/http://pucchi.net/hokkaido/gappei/area_info.php The map of the new development bureaus], from Pucchi Guide {{in lang|ja}}

{{Hokkaido}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Subprefectures in Hokkaido}}
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