Filipinos in Hokkaido, Japan’s largest and northernmost prefecture, have a registered population of 2,496 individuals in 2022, the 24th largest group of Filipinos in Japan by prefecture, ahead of Okinawa and behind Toyama.[1]
Major cities
The Filipino population of Hokkaido Prefecture is concentrated in the capital city of Sapporo, with 562 individuals.
Besides the capital, there are also significant populations in the town of Betsukai (114), and the cities of Kushiro (103) and Chitose (103).[1:1]
Cities of Hokkaido with sizable Filipino population[1:2][2] (the Northern Territories are not wholly depicted). Darker color indicates higher population.
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Hokkaido Prefecture
Hokkaido (Japanese: 北海道, lit. ‘Northern Sea Circuit’) is Japan’s second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Aomori Prefecture in Honshu.[3]
The largest city on Hokkaidō is its capital, Sapporo. To the east and northeast are the Kuril Islands, which are administered by Russia, though the four most southerly are claimed by Japan.[3:1]
Besides tourism, Hokkaido’s primary industries are agriculture, timber, fishery and aquaculture.
Map of Japan with Hokkaido in red.[4]
Population by city, town and village
The territory of Hokkaido is the largest of all prefectures, with many cities, towns and villages. There are many towns and villages with no population of Filipinos.[1:3]
| City, town or village | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| All | 2,496 | 2,154 |
| Sapporo | 562 | 470 |
| Betsukai Town | 114 | 100 |
| Kushiro | 103 | 88 |
| Chitose | 103 | 92 |
| Asahigawa | 96 | 89 |
| Eniwa | 96 | 103 |
| Hidaka Town | 82 | 78 |
| Hakodate | 75 | 59 |
| Tomakomai | 65 | 55 |
| Urakawa Town | 56 | 48 |
| Shiranuka Town | 53 | 87 |
| Obihiro | 49 | 42 |
| Kutchan Town | 46 | 46 |
| Akkeshi Town | 46 | 35 |
| Kitami | 40 | 41 |
| Nanae Town | 37 | 38 |
| Hamanaka Town | 36 | 24 |
| Shibetsu Town | 31 | 25 |
| Otaru | 28 | 12 |
| Niikappu Town | 26 | 23 |
| Ebetsu | 25 | 18 |
| Fukagawa | 25 | 21 |
| Shari Town | 25 | 12 |
| Tsurui Village | 24 | 19 |
| Nakashibetsu Town | 21 | 17 |
| Iwamizawa | 19 | 15 |
| Kyōgoku Town | 19 | 15 |
| Ishikari | 16 | 14 |
| Naganuma Town | 16 | 14 |
| Taiki Town | 16 | 10 |
| Takikawa | 15 | 12 |
| Saroma Town | 15 | 11 |
| Yūbetsu Town | 15 | 10 |
| Shinhidaka Town | 15 | 13 |
| Abashiri | 14 | 12 |
| Hokuto | 14 | 22 |
| Niki Town | 14 | 1 |
| Shimizu Town | 14 | 13 |
| Muroran | 13 | 12 |
| Yoichi Town | 13 | 9 |
| Shimukappu Town | 13 | 15 |
| Bihoro Town | 13 | 10 |
| Nemuro | 12 | 13 |
| Kamifurano Town | 12 | 22 |
| Engaru Town | 12 | 11 |
| Akabira | 11 | 8 |
| Niseko Town | 11 | 13 |
| Akaigawa Village | 11 | 4 |
| Kunneppu Town | 11 | 16 |
| Wakkanai | 10 | 7 |
| Funaro | 10 | 3 |
| Noboribetsu | 10 | 4 |
| Otofuke Town | 10 | 7 |
| Makubetsu Town | 10 | 2 |
| Kitahiroshima | 9 | 8 |
| Ikeda Town | 9 | 7 |
| Abira Town | 8 | 7 |
| Bibai | 7 | 8 |
| Esashi Town | 7 | 1 |
| Shiraoi Town | 7 | 6 |
| Kushiro Town | 7 | 1 |
| Rumoi | 6 | 2 |
| Yakumo Town | 6 | 1 |
| Iwanai Town | 6 | 3 |
| Mukawa Town | 6 | 5 |
| Mikasa | 5 | 2 |
| Higashikawa Town | 5 | 4 |
| Biei Town | 5 | 3 |
| Sōbetsu | 5 | 1 |
| Tōyako Town | 5 | 5 |
| Teshikaga Town | 5 | 5 |
| Rausu Town | 5 | 3 |
| Ashibetsu | 4 | 4 |
| Monbetsu | 4 | 4 |
| Nayoro | 4 | 5 |
| Tōbetsu Town | 4 | 5 |
| Kimobetsu Town | 4 | 3 |
| Uryū Town | 4 | 0 |
| Ōmu Town | 4 | 4 |
| Samani Town | 4 | 6 |
| Sunagawa | 3 | 3 |
| Date | 3 | 4 |
| Kikonai Town | 3 | 3 |
| Shikabe Town | 3 | 0 |
| Okushiri Town | 3 | 0 |
| Nanporo Town | 3 | 2 |
| Naie Town | 3 | 3 |
| Kuriyama Town | 3 | 3 |
| Kamikawa Town | 3 | 3 |
| Toyotomi Town | 3 | 3 |
| Oketo Town | 3 | 3 |
| Shintoku Town | 3 | 1 |
| Hiroo Town | 3 | 1 |
| Toyokoro Town | 3 | 4 |
| Shibecha Town | 3 | 3 |
| Utashinai | 2 | 2 |
| Matsumae Town | 2 | 2 |
| Fukushima Town | 2 | 1 |
| Kuromatsunai Town | 2 | 2 |
| Tomamae Town | 2 | 0 |
| Haboro Town | 2 | 2 |
| Esashi Town | 2 | 1 |
| Tsubetsu Town | 2 | 2 |
| Koshimizu Town | 2 | 2 |
| Nishiokoppe Village | 2 | 2 |
| Toyoura Town | 2 | 2 |
| Erimo Town | 2 | 2 |
| Memuro Town | 2 | 2 |
| Nakasatsunai Village | 2 | 2 |
| Honbetsu Town | 2 | 1 |
| Shibetsu | 1 | 1 |
| Mori Town | 1 | 1 |
| Kaminokuni Town | 1 | 0 |
| Assabu Town | 1 | 1 |
| Setana Town | 1 | 0 |
| Suttsu Town | 1 | 1 |
| Rankoshi Town | 1 | 1 |
| Makkari Village | 1 | 1 |
| Kyōwa Town | 1 | 1 |
| Tsukigata Town | 1 | 1 |
| Shintotsukawa Town | 1 | 1 |
| Hokuryū Town | 1 | 1 |
| Aibetsu Town | 1 | 4 |
| Shimokawa Town | 1 | 1 |
| Horokanai Town | 1 | 1 |
| Mashike Town | 1 | 1 |
| Enbetsu Town | 1 | 1 |
| Sarufutsu Village | 1 | 1 |
| Hamatonbetsu Town | 1 | 1 |
| Horonobe Town | 1 | 1 |
| Kiyosato Town | 1 | 1 |
| Ōzora Town | 1 | 1 |
| Biratori Town | 1 | 0 |
| Shihoro Town | 1 | 1 |
| Shikaoi Town | 1 | 1 |
| Sarabatsu Village | 1 | 1 |
| Ashoro Town | 1 | 1 |
| Urahoro Town | 1 | 1 |
| Yūbari | 0 | 0 |
| Shinshinotsu Village | 0 | 0 |
| Shiriuchi Town | 0 | 0 |
| Oshamambe Town | 0 | 0 |
| Otobe Town | 0 | 0 |
| Imakane Town | 0 | 0 |
| Shimamaki Village | 0 | 0 |
| Rusutsu Village | 0 | 0 |
| Tomari Village | 0 | 0 |
| Kamoenai Village | 0 | 0 |
| Shakotan Town | 0 | 0 |
| Furubira Town | 0 | 0 |
| Kamisunagawa Town | 0 | 0 |
| Yuni Town | 0 | 0 |
| Urausu Town | 0 | 0 |
| Moseushi Town | 0 | 0 |
| Chippubetsu Town | 0 | 0 |
| Numata Town | 0 | 0 |
| Takasu Town | 0 | 0 |
| Higashikagura Town | 0 | 0 |
| Tōma Town | 0 | 0 |
| Pippu Town | 0 | 0 |
| Nakafurano Town | 0 | 0 |
| Minamifurano Town | 0 | 0 |
| Wassamu Town | 0 | 0 |
| Kenbuchi Town | 0 | 0 |
| Bifuka Town | 0 | 0 |
| Otoineppu Town | 0 | 0 |
| Nakagawa Town | 0 | 0 |
| Obira Town | 0 | 0 |
| Shosanbetsu Village | 0 | 0 |
| Teshio Town | 0 | 0 |
| Naktonbetsu Town | 0 | 0 |
| Rebun Town | 0 | 0 |
| Rishiri Town | 0 | 0 |
| Rishirifuji Town | 0 | 0 |
| Takinoue Town | 0 | 0 |
| Okoppe Town | 0 | 0 |
| Atsuma Town | 0 | 2 |
| Kamishihoro Town | 0 | 0 |
| Rikubetsu Town | 0 | 0 |
Historical population
Hokkaido’s population of Filipinos has increased moderately during the last 40 years and hovers in the low thousands.
Population of Filipinos in Hokkaido and Tokyo from 1984 up to present.[5][6]
People, news and events
Japanese Menudo is a blog written by J Shinoda, a Filipina assistant language teacher (ALT) living in Sapporo City, Hokkaido, about her experiences living in Hokkaido and notable places to visit and eat at in and around Sapporo City.[7]
The Hokkaido Association of Filipino Students (HAFS) is based in Hokkaido University, where 32 Filipino students are matriculating in 2023.[8]
The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo conducted a two-day consular outreach mission in Sapporo, Hokkaido on 14 to 15 September 2019. The six-member consular outreach team processed 179 e-Passport applications and 18 notarial services.[9]
References
第３表 市区町村別 国籍・地域別 在留外国人 (Table 3: Foreign Residents by City, Ward, Town, Village and by Nationality/Region. 3 December 2022) (XLSX). e-Stat政府統計の総合窓口. Immigration Services Agency of Japan (7 July 2023). Retrieved 13 December 2023. ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Cities of Hokkaido with sizable Filipino population. © reon (Timog.net) CC-BY-SA-3.0. Original graphic © lincun (Wikipedia Commons) CC-BY-SA-3.0. Data used: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan. ↩︎
Hokkaido. Wikipedia contributors (15 December 2023). Wikipedia. Retrieved 18 December 2023. ↩︎ ↩︎
Map of Japan with Hokkaido in red. © lincun (Wikipedia Commons) CC-BY-SA-3.0. Data used: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan. ↩︎
都道府県別 国籍（出身地）別 外国人登録者 (Registered Foreigners by Prefecture and Nationality (Place of Birth) 1984 to 2023) e-Stat政府統計の総合窓口. Immigration Services Agency of Japan. Retrieved 18 December 2023. No available data for the years 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991 and 1993. ↩︎
Population of Filipinos in Hokkaido and Tokyo. © reon (Timog.net) CC-BY-SA-3.0. ↩︎
Japanese Menudo: Experiencing Japan in a Filipina Teacher’s Perspective. Retrieved 18 February, 2024. ↩︎
International Student Data. Hokkaido University. 28 July 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023. ↩︎
Philippine Embassy Serves Filipino Community in Hokkaido. Embassy of the Philippines, Tokyo. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2023. ↩︎
