decentralization in japan - keio university.pdf

Policy and Governance Working Paper Series No. 30 Decentralization in Japan Kinnosuke Yagi* April 2004 st The 21 Century Center of Excellence Program “Policy Innovation Initiative: Human Security Research in Japan and Asia” Graduate School of Media and Governance Keio University, Japan This paper was presented at the First Keio-UNU-Panel Meeting “Economic Development and Human Security: How to Improve Governance at the Inter-Governmental and Private Sector Levels in Japan and Asia,” held at the United Nations University in Tokyo, February 13-14, 2004, organized under the auspices of Keio University COE (Center of Excellence) Program. The author thanks comments by Mr. Akihide Hirashima, Director of the International Affairs, Division for Local Authorities, Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts, and Telecommunications. * Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Japan （yagi@sfc.keio.ac.jp） Decentralization in Japan Kinnosuke Yagi Abstract In 1999, The Package Promoting Decentralization Act was enacted, and came into law in 2000. This Act provides 1) role-sharing between central government and local government, 2) abolition of the system of agent delegated functions, 3) re-examination of intervention by central government, 4) establishment of the Central-Local Government Dispute Resolution Council, along with other alterations. The Act, however, has not fully realized decentralization in Japan, and it has only raised the independence of local government a