The second area is the need for less central control. Since local governments already
implement most domestic functions, the law is not specific, but city planning is cited as an
example of an area requiring significant devolution, and a general reduction in central
government intervention and involvement is emphasized, with new rules established for
central-local government relations.
The third area is devolution from prefectural governments. Communities with a
population exceeding a certain figure are granted wider functions, which has led to the
diversification of municipal government.
DECENTRALIZATION EVALUATED
Evaluation has not been uniform. For example, the chairman of the CPD hailed the
decentralization scheme as a major step toward viable governance. As a major actor in the
process, the chairman described local government reforms as the “third revolution,” after the
Meiji Restoration of 1868 and the nation’s post-1945 democratization. Other actors involved
in the process have also tended to see the strategy favorably. Matsumoto (2000) concurs that
it has resulted in more genuine local autonomy—as stipulated in Article 92 of the
constitution—by redefining central-local relations as independent decision making and
individual responsibility. Nishio Masaru (2000), a leading member of the CPD, sees the
strategy as an “unfinished revolution.” Law professors also saw the abolition of the ADF
system as a positive step, complaining only about the inadequate fiscal-legal framework
(Kaneko 1999).
The second area is the need for less central control. Since local governments alreadyimplement most domestic functions, the law is not specific, but city planning is cited as anexample of an area requiring significant devolution, and a general reduction in centralgovernment intervention and involvement is emphasized, with new rules established forcentral-local government relations.The third area is devolution from prefectural governments. Communities with apopulation exceeding a certain figure are granted wider functions, which has led to thediversification of municipal government.DECENTRALIZATION EVALUATEDEvaluation has not been uniform. For example, the chairman of the CPD hailed thedecentralization scheme as a major step toward viable governance. As a major actor in theprocess, the chairman described local government reforms as the “third revolution,” after theMeiji Restoration of 1868 and the nation’s post-1945 democratization. Other actors involvedin the process have also tended to see the strategy favorably. Matsumoto (2000) concurs thatit has resulted in more genuine local autonomy—as stipulated in Article 92 of theconstitution—by redefining central-local relations as independent decision making andindividual responsibility. Nishio Masaru (2000), a leading member of the CPD, sees thestrategy as an “unfinished revolution.” Law professors also saw the abolition of the ADFsystem as a positive step, complaining only about the inadequate fiscal-legal framework(Kaneko 1999).
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