Ashibetsu, Hokkaidō

nihongo|Ashibetsu|芦別市|Ashibetsu-shi|Ainu: "Aspet" is a city located in Sorachi Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan.

As of 2007, the city has an estimated population of 18,310 and a density of 22.84 persons per km². The total area is 865.07 km². The city was once a prosperous coal mining city, its population exceeding 70,000 at its peak, but its population has fallen since the closing of the coal mines.

History

*1893 Satō Denjirō (originally from Yamagata prefecture) founds Ashibetsu
*1897 Nae Village (now Sunagawa City) and part of Takikawa Village (now City) split off to form Utashinai Village
*1900 Ashibetsu Village split off of Utashinai Village.
*1906 Ashibetsu becomes a Second Class Municipality
*1923 First Class Municipality
*1924 Ashibetsu Mine opened
*1935 Kamiashibetsu Mine opened
*1938 Ashibetsu-Takane? Mine opened
*1941 Ashibetsu Village becomes Ashibetsu Town
*1943 Mitsui?-Ashibetsu Mine opened
*April 1, 1953 Ashibetsu Town becomes Ashibetsu City
*1991 Canadian World park opened
*1999 Canadian World business failure

External links

* [http://www.city.ashibetsu.hokkaido.jp/ Official website]