If I remember correctly, UF has some property up there and I like to think in a tin foil hat way that whoever runs UF has a soft spot for the area. A lot of great H!P members came from there. It's like an untapped well of gold just waiting to be brought to Tokyo.
Think of it in this way, someone from Alaska coming to Hollywood to make it big. That's how I view Hokkaido.
But I also think of this in terms of Up Front Kansai. They have their office and now they want one in Hokkaido. It's smart that they are getting a head start over 48.
It's almost comforting to me as a long time fan to have people from Hokkaido in the group and I'd be sad to see that stop because another mega group dried up the well of potential idols.