city, northernmost Hokkaido, Japan. It is situated on the Noshappu Peninsula, facing Sōya Bay and the Sōya Peninsula. Most of the city occupies the Sōya plateau, which is a northern extension of the Teshio Range. The Sōya Line (railway) was opened in 1926, and regular steamship service between Wakkanai and the offshore islands of Rishiri and Rebun was begun in 1934. Wakkanai has since developed as a major port for deep-sea fishing. The city is a local administrative centre and contains a marine products industry. The Sōya Peninsula, on the most northern part of Hokkaido, contains several monuments related to the history and life of northern Japan. Pop. (2005) 41,592.