Part 7/9:
Hokkaido's low population density also stems from its unique historical trajectory. Historically inhabited by the indigenous Ainu people, the island underwent significant changes during the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century—a period when Japan sought to officially integrate Hokkaido into its nation. This colonization led to the forced migration of ethnic Japanese settlers to extract the island's natural resources, simultaneously displacing the Ainu and diminishing their culture and population.