Hokkaido and Sapporo propose sub-capital status

Following the passage of the Sub-Capital Act, Hokkaido and Sapporo have announced plans to strengthen cooperation to propose Hokkaido as a designated sub-capital to the national government. The two entities intend to establish specialized departments to coordinate this effort.

Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki noted that the region poses an extremely low risk of simultaneous disaster with the Tokyo metropolitan area due to its geographic distance. Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto added that the city possesses the necessary functions to serve as an ideal location for a sub-capital.

The Sub-Capital Act aims to establish a backup system for central government functions during large-scale disasters while addressing the extreme concentration of population and economic activity in Tokyo to promote a more decentralized national structure.