Population Continues to Shrink in Hokkaido Cities

Apr 11, 2025 | News On Japan

SAPPORO - Obihiro City, the fifth-largest city in Hokkaido, saw its population dip below 160,000 for the first time in 41 years, and the trend extends across the region, with all of the top five cities, including Sapporo, recording population declines compared to the previous month, underscoring the ongoing demographic challenges facing Hokkaido.

"It's a little sad. Even when I come to the station, it feels like there are fewer people than before," said one local resident. Another remarked, "Isn't it the same in every town?"

According to the city’s resident registry, Obihiro’s population decreased by 617 people from February to 159,863 at the end of March, marking the first time since 1983 that it has fallen below 160,000.

The city peaked at 175,174 residents in 2001, but has been steadily losing population since. The decline is attributed to both a "natural decrease," where the number of deaths outpaces births, and a "social decrease," in which more people move out than move in.

Source: Hokkaido News UHB

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