## Section 5 Promoting Integrated Development of Hokkaido

## 1 Promoting the New Hokkaido Comprehensive Development Plan to Lead the Era of the Global Environment

## (1) Promoting the Hokkaido Comprehensive Development Plan

Japan has followed an active policy of developing Hokkaido to help resolve the problems then facing the nation and to achieve powerful regional growth by taking advantage of the excellent resources and characteristics of Hokkaido.

The implementation of measures focusing on reinforcement of food supply capacities, promotion of inbound tourism, formation of a safe, secure national land and active regional planning activities is under way to approach the attainment of the three strategic goals of open and competitive Hokkaido, sustainable and beautiful Hokkaido and Hokkaido consisting of diverse, individualistic areas pursuant to the seventh phase of the New Hokkaido Comprehensive Development Plan That Users in an Era of Global Environment, on the basis of the results of an intermediate check on the plan implemented in FY2012, recent changes in the socioeconomic conditions and so on.

## (2) Working to realize the Plan

### a. Strengthening the total food supply capacities

To strengthen the food supply capacities of Hokkaido that command 25% of the nation’s farmland area, the farmland in Hokkaido has been consolidated in larger lots, etc. to augment the productive capacities. The MLIT also supports efforts to create higher added values through the implementation of more advanced expertise of quality control, collaboration with tourism and so on. In addition, the MLIT promotes the development of the infrastructures relevant to tougher logistics. Approaches to fostering food industries include the construction of HOP (Hokkaido export Platform) to facilitate direct, stable export of Hokkaido-made products.

### b. Creating internationally competitive, appealing tourist sites

Efforts are underway to improve the tourist reception environment in Hokkaido by trimming travel time and easing round-trips through infrastructures development, working on the Scenic Byway Hokkaido campaign and so on to take advantage of the potentials of Hokkaido with its appealing tourist resources, such as scenic beauty and food. Further, multi-language editions of a drive handbook are distributed for the sake of better tourist convenience. Regional efforts aimed at promoting Hokkaido as a host to international conferences (MICE) in Hokkaido are also supported.

### c. Forming a sustainable regional community that lives symbiotically with the nature

The MLIT has driven the conservation and regeneration of moorland environments, the construction of breakwaters conscious of the habitat of aquatic organisms, purification of rivers and lakes and so on to help form a community that lives together with the rich nature of Hokkaido. Further, since Hokkaido is rich in renewable energy resources, efforts to exploit them are being deployed across Hokkaido.

### d. Enhancing network and mobility to support internal and external interactions

To achieve the three strategic goals of the Hokkaido

Roller coaster track in the town of Kamifurano

Source) The Federation of Hokkaido Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Comprehensive Development Plan, the MLIT has driven the development of key transport infrastructures, such as high-standard highways, airports and harbors, the reinforcement of logistic network facilities, etc. effectively in collaboration