Hokkaido: from the “Road to the Northern Sea” to “Japan's gateway to the Arctic”

ABSTRACT Despite the recent global interest in the Arctic, the concepts of the North, Northernness, and Arcticness are rarely discussed in the context of East Asia. Yet, the North has significantly affected the developmental paths of East Asia both as a geographical direction, and as an (imaginary) object associated with changing fears, hopes, and uncertainties. This research adds to the relatively scant literature on this topic by elaborating on Hokkaido's exceptional role in Japan's relationship with and understanding of the North. This study analyzes Hokkaido's path from a domestic colony and the northern frontier of the expanding and eventually collapsing Japanese empire, to an actor advancing initiatives in international forums and gaining the central government's recognition as Japan's gateway to the North and the Arctic. During this process, Hokkaido's representation of its northern location and cold climate have evolved, at least partially, from a focus on the perceived causes of underdevelopment to a concentration on the assets contributing to economic possibilities and a better quality of life. Rather than focusing on geophysical, climatological, or environmental conditions, this research approaches regions as constantly evolving sociocultural and political constructions.