When the Ten-year Plan of Development Commissioner was completed in 1882, Hokkaido Development Commissioner was abolished as originally planned, and it was decided that administrative districts called "prefecture" were introduced just as outside Hokkaido and that three prefectures were newly established in accordance with jurisdictions of the government in Sapporo City and two offices in Hakodate and Nemuro Cities which had been administered by Hokkaido Development Commissioner.
そして開拓使十年計画の満期を迎えた1882年、当初の計画通り北海道開拓使を廃止し、その当時置かれていた北海道開拓使の札幌市の本庁および函館市・根室市の2支庁のそれぞれの管轄区域に応じて道外と同様に県という行政区域を新たに3つ設定することになった。