## (i) Local communities where people sparkle

In addition to establishing regional social structures that enable people to continue to live over a long period of time across Hokkaido, covering from vast production spaces that form communities dispersed in wide areas in a scale different from other regions to city areas, it is also important to promote lively convection by attracting various people to Hokkaido whose population is declining ahead of other regions in Japan. To this end, we will drive forward, among other measures, promotion of the agriculture, forestry and fishery industries and the food and tourism related industries, utilization of Michi-no-eki (Roadside Station), creation of bustling and relaxing spaces where people gather, development of communities that are suitable for raising children and comfortable to live, formation of wide-area transportation networks including national high-grade trunk highways, and development of the Hokkaido Value Creation Partnership Activity, which is a wide-area and cross-cutting support and cooperation system for human resources engaged in regional development.

## (ii) Industries that look to the world

Hokkaido has competitive advantages in the agriculture, forestry, and fishery industries; the food and tourism related industries; and other industries for export to other regions in the country and other countries; and it is important to develop these industries. Therefore, we will promote, among other measures, the enhancement of productivity by larger division of farmland and other means, creation of a comprehensive base for food by attracting food companies from outside Hokkaido, formation of appealing tourism regions that leverage regional resources, including nature, sceneries, foods, snow, history and culture, by attracting inbound tourism through the Scenic Byway Hokkaido program that encourages round tours and traveling by car, holding of international conferences (MICE) in Hokkaido and the strengthening of functions of New Chitose Airport and strategic international bulk ports including Kushiro Port.

Figure II-4-5-2

Familiarization trip implemented to promote food tourism in Hokkaido by foreign visitors (November 2015, Shibetsucho, hands-on salmon caviar making)

Source) MLIT

## (iii) Strong and sustainable national land

Hokkaido, which has beautiful and magnificent natural environments and abundant renewable energy sources, is expected to take leading roles in forming sustainable regional society, and it is important for the region to minimize damages in the event of a disaster and contribute to strengthening of Japan as a whole. Therefore, we will promote, among other measures, preservation and regeneration of lakes and wetland, public awareness relating to the formation of hydrogen society through Hokkaido's platform for developing hydrogen communities, fundamental flood control measures and anti-seismic social infrastructure, regional support in the event of a disaster by dispatching TEC-FORCE (Technical Emergency Control Force), establishment of maintenance cycles aimed at extending the service life of social infrastructures, and efforts to enhance safety and reliability of transportation in winter.

## 2 Promoting Distinctive Regions and Cultures

## (1) Promoting the regions neighboring the Northern Territories

Targeting the Northern Territory’s neighboring regions where desirable development of regional society is inhibited because of unresolved territorial issues, we are promoting necessary measures in a comprehensive manner under the Seventh Northern Territory Neighboring Regions Revitalization Plan (FY 2013 to FY 2017), which is based on the Act on Special Measures concerning Advancement of Resolution of Northern Territories Issues.

More specifically, the MLIT pursues a mix of structural and non-structural measures to build appealing regional communities in these neighboring regions, including the promotion of agricultural and fishery industries, implementation