Message of the Governor of Hokkaido for International Travelers

A strong earthquake hit the Iburi region in Southwestern Hokkaido on September 6th, 2018. 

In response to the earthquake, the governor of Hokkaido has a message for international visitors travelling to Hokkaido. Please kindly review the details below.

Message of the Governor of Hokkaido

To all international visitors of Hokkaido,

Thank you to all those who have given their well wishes for Hokkaido’s speedy recovery.

As you all might be aware, on 6 Sep this year Hokkaido experienced an earthquake which has never occurred in the region before, and extensive damages were inflicted on the eastern parts of Iburi sub-prefecture, close to the epicenter. Since then, people from all over the world have offered their warm support to the people in Hokkaido. Even though we are faced with harsh nature, the people of Hokkaido have received abundant warm wishes in return, and we continue to carry on with our lives and co-exist with nature. In light of the recent earthquake, we continue to take all the experiences we have cultivated in stride, and overcome the challenges ahead.

At the present, we are focusing on restoration and reconstruction efforts in the affected areas. For the rest of the other areas in Hokkaido, for all our foreign visitors of Hokkaido, electrical power to transportation, communications and accommodations remained unaffected and we in Hokkaido continue to provide service levels similar to those prior to the incident.

With the short summer coming to an end, Hokkaido will usher in a new season, with vivid autumn leaves covering our hills and fields. During this time, everyone can look forward to plentiful delicious seafood and agricultural produce. We encourage everyone from all over the world to continue visiting our beautiful home to enjoy our splendor and hospitality.

Harumi TAKAHASHI

Governor, Hokkaido

Government September 2018