After the Reform : How is Japan's Local Democracy Changing?

Abstract

Over the past decade Japanʼs local democracy is undergoing a considerable change. Until the revision of more than 400 laws concerning local autonomy, known as the decentralization reforms, extensive use had been made of local governments as central government implementing agents through the system of agency-delegated functions. This system gave the central government in Japan the authority to require local executives to implement certain functions that they chose to delegate. With the passing of the decentralization reform package in 2000 ̶ praised as one of the most spectacular reforms of post-war Japan ̶ the system of agency-delegated functions (kikan i’ nin jimu) was eliminated and replaced with an equal cooperation system (taitô kyôryoku), which has substantially changed Japanʼs centre-local relations. The NPO (Non-Profit Organization) Law has established a new legislative framework in response to activities undertaken by NPOs. Finally, the revision of the Law on Municipal Mergers, a complement of the decentralization reform package, has led to a reorganization of municipalities by reducing their number significantly. Decentralization reforms occur nearly universally in the developed world, and there is evidence of a close link between the granting of more autonomy and societal transformations, such as declining birth rates and aging populations. Central governments increasingly rely on localities and private actors to provide services formerly delivered by the nation state. As a result of this ongoing shift of power between political actors in Japan one central research question emerges: To which extent have these reforms impacted the nature of Japanʼs local democracy especially with regard to citizen participation and local interest intermediation? While voting in national elections is only one way of participating in politics, it is the key one in democracies. Consequently, the practice of citizensʼ participation in local elections is investigated with regard to changes in voter turnout and party affiliations. The debate on social and political change in post-industrial societies, however, implies a growing dealignment from the established parties and a decline in the turnout rate. This decline is expected to go hand in hand with an increase in participation through non-institutionalised channels. Thus, the question Hitotsubashi Journal of Social Studies 41 (2009), pp.13-31. C Hitotsubashi University