Sapporo, city of, - Economic Strategy Promotion Department, Economic &Tourism Affairs

Sapporo has about 1.97 million people (approx. 2.5 million people within the Sapporo metropolitan area), making it the fifth largest city in Japan. The city boasts a comfortable environment where nature and well-developed urban infrastructure co-exist. It also offers abundant human resources, high-level education, and low business costs, including affordable office rent. These advantages attract IT companies in software development, game development and other creative companies, as well as call centers and BPO centers in IT and financial services. The city is becoming a popular business location for diversifying risks associated with natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, and lightning, away from the Tokyo metropolitan area. AXA Life Insurance and Aflac Life Insurance Japan have established their head office functions in Sapporo.

(Aug. 2024)