Amid rapidly accelerating depopulation, many municipalities in Hokkaido are facing the problem of how to stop the flight of the young, working age generation in order to sustain their community.
As overseas workers have become more and more important, municipalities are coming up with ideas to welcome them as members of communities while trying to stop young people from leaving their hometowns.
The Hokkaido Shimbun visited some cities and towns that continue to seek coexistence with foreign residents even under the coronavirus pandemic.