Esashi (枝幸町) is a town in Esashi District, Soya Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. As of 2004, its estimated population is 7,843 and its area is 509.14 kmē. The name comes from the Ainu word Esaushi, meaning "cape" (in the geographic sense)
History
- 1878 Esashi District set up with four villages, Esashi, Tonbetsu, Utanobori and Rebun Village (礼文村, apparently unrelated to the town of Rebun, Hokkaido on Rebun Island)
- September, 1891 Town hall for 3 villages set up
- April, 1909 Esashi Village becomes a second-class municipality
- April, 1916 Tonbetsu Village (now Hamatonbetsu Town) split off
- April, 1923 Esashi becomes a first-class municipality
- September, 1939 Utanobori Village (now town) split off
- October, 1947 Esashi becomes a town
Administration
A merger committee exists with the neighboring town of Utanobori. On March 20, 2006 the two towns will merge into a new Esashi Town. On December 14, 2004 a merger agreement was signed. On the 21st of that month, the town assemblies of both towns approved the merger. On January 20, 2005, the merger application was submitted. The prefectural assembly of Hokkaido approved it on March 24, 2005
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