Breathing in Hokkaido is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 5.1 million people across 180 districts in Hokkaido. The average PM2.5 level is 7.8 µg/m³—1.6× higher than the WHO guideline.

AboutMake Air Quality Great AgainAQLI Data

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in Hokkaido

Hokkaido faces significant air pollution challenges. 98% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 5.1 million across 180 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 7.8µg/m³. That's 1.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 129 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Hokkaido met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.26 years longer.

That's 1.3M years of life stolen from 5.1 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Hokkaido. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Asahikawa
    0.4 years lost
  • 2.Higashikagura
    0.4 years lost
  • 3.Higashikawa
    0.4 years lost
  • 4.Ishikari
    0.4 years lost
  • 5.Takasu
    0.4 years lost
  • 6.Tōma
    0.4 years lost
  • 7.Kamifurano
    0.3 years lost
  • 8.Sapporo
    0.3 years lost
  • 9.Nakafurano
    0.3 years lost
  • 10.Nanporo
    0.3 years lost
Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³
0.7%
37K
5-10 µg/m³
99.3%
5.0M
10-15 µg/m³
0%
0
15-25 µg/m³
0%
0
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 180 Districts in Hokkaido

Complete air quality data for every district in Hokkaido, sorted by population.

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Sapporo1.9M
8.5
0.3 years
Asahikawa316K
9.0
0.4 years
Hakodate220K
7.3
0.2 years
Tomakomai164K
7.4
0.2 years
Kushiro City163K
6.2
0.1 years
Obihiro158K
7.9
0.3 years
Otaru135K
7.4
0.2 years
Ebetsu115K
8.3
0.3 years
Kitami113K
6.6
0.2 years
Chitose98K
7.5
0.2 years
Muroran85K
7.0
0.2 years
Iwamizawa77K
8.2
0.3 years
Eniwa69K
7.6
0.3 years
Ishikari56K
8.6
0.4 years
Hokuto55K
7.3
0.2 years
Kitahiroshima50K
7.9
0.3 years
Otofuke38K
7.8
0.3 years
Noboribetsu38K
7.1
0.2 years
Takikawa35K
8.0
0.3 years
Abashiri33K
6.2
0.1 years
Date31K
7.4
0.2 years
Wakkanai30K
5.7
0.1 years
Memuro29K
8.0
0.3 years
Nayoro27K
7.0
0.2 years
Nanae27K
6.8
0.2 years
Makubetsu23K
7.3
0.2 years
Nakashibetsu22K
5.2
0.0 years
Nemuro22K
4.9
0.0 years
Furano21K
8.2
0.3 years
Monbetsu20K
6.6
0.2 years
Shinhidaka20K
7.1
0.2 years
Bibai19K
7.9
0.3 years
Takasu19K
8.6
0.4 years
Fukagawa19K
7.9
0.3 years
Engaru19K
6.6
0.2 years
Bihoro18K
6.4
0.1 years
Rumoi18K
6.1
0.1 years
Shibetsu City17K
7.2
0.2 years
Yoichi16K
6.9
0.2 years
Tōbetsu15K
8.1
0.3 years
Kushiro15K
5.8
0.1 years
Kutchan15K
7.2
0.2 years
Sunagawa15K
7.9
0.3 years
Shiraoi15K
7.3
0.2 years
Yakumo14K
7.0
0.2 years
Betsukai13K
4.9
0.0 years
Shintotsukawa12K
7.9
0.3 years
Ashibetsu12K
7.5
0.2 years
Mori12K
6.8
0.2 years
Shari11K
6.5
0.1 years
Hidaka11K
7.1
0.2 years
Urakawa11K
6.6
0.2 years
Naganuma10K
8.2
0.3 years
Kamifurano10K
8.5
0.3 years
Biei10K
8.3
0.3 years
Iwanai9K
7.5
0.2 years
Akabira9K
7.4
0.2 years
Kuriyama9K
8.1
0.3 years
Shimizu9K
7.7
0.3 years
Higashikagura9K
8.9
0.4 years
Tōyako8K
7.0
0.2 years
Honbetsu7K
6.6
0.2 years
Mukawa7K
7.3
0.2 years
Nanporo7K
8.5
0.3 years
Mikasa7K
7.6
0.3 years
Shibecha7K
5.1
0.0 years
Shiranuka7K
6.3
0.1 years
Akkeshi7K
5.2
0.0 years
Yūbari7K
7.0
0.2 years
Setana7K
6.8
0.2 years
Ōzora7K
6.2
0.1 years
Teshikaga7K
5.7
0.1 years
Esashi7K
6.0
0.1 years
Abira7K
7.2
0.2 years
Kyōwa7K
7.5
0.2 years
Esashi Capital6K
6.7
0.2 years
Ikeda6K
6.8
0.2 years
Shintoku6K
7.7
0.3 years
Haboro6K
6.4
0.1 years
Yuni6K
7.9
0.3 years
Shihoro6K
7.2
0.2 years
Ashoro6K
6.8
0.2 years
Taiki5K
6.4
0.1 years
Shikaoi5K
7.4
0.2 years
Niikappu5K
7.1
0.2 years
Hiroo5K
6.6
0.2 years
Imakane5K
6.6
0.2 years
Naie5K
8.0
0.3 years
Nakafurano5K
8.5
0.3 years
Hamanaka5K
5.1
0.0 years
Oshamanbe5K
7.2
0.2 years
Biratori5K
7.1
0.2 years
Niseko5K
7.2
0.2 years
Saroma5K
6.4
0.1 years
Rankoshi5K
7.0
0.2 years
Kamishihoro5K
7.0
0.2 years
Matsumae5K
7.0
0.2 years
Shibetsu5K
5.4
0.0 years
Koshimizu4K
6.4
0.1 years
Tōma4K
8.6
0.4 years
Kunneppu4K
6.9
0.2 years
Tsubetsu4K
6.1
0.1 years
Atsuma4K
7.3
0.2 years
Higashikawa4K
8.7
0.4 years
Urahoro4K
6.2
0.1 years
Kamiyūbetsu4K
6.6
0.2 years
Bifuka4K
6.4
0.1 years
Yūbetsu4K
6.7
0.2 years
Kaminokuni4K
6.5
0.1 years
Toyotomi4K
5.4
0.0 years
Rausu4K
5.9
0.1 years
Nakasatsunai4K
6.7
0.2 years
Toyoura4K
7.0
0.2 years
Samani4K
6.4
0.1 years
Tsukigata4K
7.9
0.3 years
Pippu4K
8.4
0.3 years
Kiyosato4K
6.2
0.1 years
Shiriuchi4K
7.0
0.2 years
Assabu4K
6.3
0.1 years
Numata3K
7.5
0.2 years
Kamikawa3K
7.2
0.2 years
Mashike3K
6.8
0.2 years
Hamatonbetsu3K
5.8
0.1 years
Okoppe3K
6.5
0.1 years
Ōmu3K
6.4
0.1 years
Wassamu3K
7.3
0.2 years
Kenbuchi3K
7.2
0.2 years
Niki3K
6.8
0.2 years
Otobe3K
6.5
0.2 years
Kikonai3K
6.9
0.2 years
Sarabetsu3K
6.3
0.1 years
Shimokawa3K
6.7
0.2 years
Toyokoro3K
6.6
0.2 years
Erimo3K
6.0
0.1 years
Fukushima3K
6.7
0.2 years
Teshio3K
5.8
0.1 years
Moseushi3K
8.3
0.3 years
Oketo3K
6.7
0.2 years
Shinshinotsu3K
8.4
0.3 years
Kyōgoku3K
7.2
0.2 years
Sōbetsu3K
7.0
0.2 years
Uryū3K
8.0
0.3 years
Minamifurano3K
7.4
0.2 years
Kuromatsunai3K
6.7
0.2 years
Tomamae3K
6.2
0.1 years
Aibetsu3K
7.6
0.3 years
Tsurui3K
5.3
0.0 years
Utashinai3K
7.0
0.2 years
Obira3K
6.3
0.1 years
Shikabe2K
6.6
0.2 years
Furubira2K
6.5
0.1 years
Enbetsu2K
6.1
0.1 years
Suttsu2K
6.8
0.2 years
Takinoue2K
6.5
0.1 years
Horonobe2K
5.5
0.0 years
Sarufutsu2K
5.6
0.1 years
Chippubetsu2K
8.0
0.3 years
Rikubetsu2K
6.5
0.1 years
Kimobetsu2K
7.3
0.2 years
Kamisunagawa2K
7.3
0.2 years
Makkari2K
7.0
0.2 years
Urausu2K
8.0
0.3 years
Okushiri2K
6.6
0.2 years
Hokuryū2K
7.8
0.3 years
Rusutsu2K
7.5
0.2 years
Rishirifuji2K
5.9
0.1 years
Rebun2K
5.5
0.1 years
Rishiri2K
3.6
0.0 years
Nakatonbetsu2K
5.5
0.0 years
Shakotan2K
6.5
0.1 years
Nakagawa1K
5.7
0.1 years
Horokanai1K
6.4
0.1 years
Tomari1K
7.0
0.2 years
Shimukappu1K
7.0
0.2 years
Akaigawa1K
6.6
0.2 years
Nishiokoppe1K
6.0
0.1 years
Shimamaki1K
6.6
0.2 years
Shosanbetsu880
6.1
0.1 years
Otoineppu747
5.7
0.1 years
Kamoenai638
6.5
0.1 years

Showing 180 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.