The governors of Hokkaido and Osaka Prefecture met in Sapporo on Monday to discuss collaboration on Japan’s secondary capital initiative, a plan aimed at establishing backup administrative functions outside Tokyo in case of a major natural disaster. The meeting, which culminated in a formal agreement, also highlighted efforts to reduce Tokyo’s demographic and economic concentration while promoting regional development.
Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki emphasized the strategic value of both prefectures, noting Osaka’s leadership in manufacturing, life sciences, and carbon neutrality technologies, while underscoring Hokkaido’s role in national food and energy security. Suzuki also pointed to Hokkaido’s growing industries, including the Rapidus semiconductor plant, as well as emerging sectors like artificial intelligence and space technology.
The dialogue followed a request by Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura, who heads the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), a political group that strongly supports the secondary capital plan. The National Diet passed legislation to establish this system in July. Earlier, on July 27, Suzuki and Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto jointly presented a proposal to government officials to allocate some secondary capital functions to Sapporo and Hokkaido.
While the prefectural leaders agreed to cooperate on advancing the secondary capital concept, they have yet to finalize specific arrangements for how the partnership will operate. Yoshimura reiterated that the goal is to foster balanced regional growth across Japan rather than replicate Tokyo’s centralized model in other locales.
“The point of a secondary capital concept was to promote multipolar growth in Japan. Hokkaido and Osaka each have their own unique characteristics and strengths and developing these is crucial,” Yoshimura said. “We have no intention of creating a mini version of Tokyo in Osaka or Hokkaido.”
The central government has yet to issue formal criteria for designating secondary capitals or determine precisely how such local governments would assume their roles in emergencies. However, a Cabinet order detailing these guidelines is expected by late October.
Aside from Osaka and Hokkaido, governors from Fukuoka, Aichi, and Hiroshima prefectures have also expressed interest in obtaining secondary capital status for their regions. This growing competition may intensify political rivalry among local governments vying for the designation, which aims to enhance disaster resilience and stimulate regional economies.