Nemuro city and port are located in the most northeastern end of Hokkaido. It is the capital city of Nemuro Sub prefecture. The city has an estimated population of 55,056. It is a city with a history, since Adam Laxman arrived from Russia to negotiate with Japan for the first time in 1792. Exchanges with Russia have been fostered in the form of the removal of a measure that regulates Russians' entry, and by visaless exchanges with residents in four northern islands. In 1994, it signed a sister-city agreement with Severo-Kurisk, Sakhalin, Russia, which is deeply related to Nemuro through their main industry, fishery. Nemuro played a very important role as a base of international exchange, especially with the northern region. All seemed well for the small town.