Obihiro

Hokkaido

Obihiro (帯広市 Obihiro-shi?) is a city in Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. Obihiro is the only designated city in the Tokachi area. The next most populous municipality in Tokachi is the adjacent town of Otofuke, with less than a third of Obihiro's population. The city had approximately 500 foreign residents in 2008. The city contains the headquarters of the fifth division of the northern army of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. It also hosts the Rally Japan World Rally Championship-event. In 2008, Obihiro was designated as a 'model environmental city' in Japan.