This study investigates the applicability of these eight design principles to the management of Japanese coastal fisheries when state authorities play explicit roles to enhance user self-governance. The study uses terms, such as “user self-governance,” “autonomy,” “state-reinforced self-governance,” “co-management,” and “coercion,” in a relative rather than absolute sense. For example, by “user autonomy,” this study implies that users experience the freedom to develop self-governing institutions on their own but are required to obey the state's general laws, even though the state does not monitor their daily activities.