Local Government in Japan: Prewar Reforms and Postwar Changes

1. Government and Politics of East Asia Local Government in Japan Faisal Ammar 14/365392/SP/26282 Ghani Rafif Jasmine Annisa Karina Larasati Kevin Abimanyu 14/368661/SP/26442 Sabrina Nadia Yasmin. A.M Zaira Shani

2. Concept Map INTRODUCTION PREWAR LOCAL GOVERNMENT POSTWAR REFORMS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CITIZEN PARTICIPATION FINANCES THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATURE POWERS AND DUTIES TRENDS

3. INTRODUCTION Local government in japan is predicated of local autonomy and administered by so called local public entities. The latter are classified broadly as ordinary local public entities, comprising prefectures and municipalities, and special local public entities. Westernization that has occurred in Japan has altered the behavior of the local government. Prefectures was introduced by the West to classified Japanese regions after the 16thcentury expansion by Portuguese traders to label their fief they encountered. hey form the first level of jurisdiction and administrative division of Japan. The prefectures consist of (to-do-fu-ken) consist of Tokyo Metropolis (to), Hokkaido (dō), Osaka and Kyoto prefectures (fu), and 43 others (ken).The Meiji Fuhanken sanchisei administration created the first prefectures to replace the provinces of Japan in 1868. The basic framework in which local government operates is defined by the Constitution and the Local Autonomy Law.

4. Prewar local government • Local autonomy was instituted after Meiji Restoration on 1868. • To strengthen the central bureaucratic controls over regions under the Home Ministry. • In 1871 the feudal domains were abolished and a system of prefectures established. • In 1878 an administrative system was established to regulate local administrative organization, elected prefectural assemblies, and local taxation. • In 1880 was issued the Law on Ward, Town, and Village Assemblies. • In 1888 was issued the Municipal Code and the Town and Village Code. • In 1890 was issued the Prefectural Code and District Code to complete the overall system.

5. This system was used to have a system of strongly centralized state control and to enlist the cooperation of powerful local families in municipal administration. • The prefectural and district governments were nonrepresentational administrative organs whose heads were appointed and directed by the central government. • During the era of Taisho Democracy in the 1920s, local entities were given greater autonomy, and local voting rights were expanded. • But, as the country entering wartime period, local administration was reshaped to serve the military needs in 1940s. • About 200,000 community councils and about 1,2 million neighborhood associations were legally established as the smallest unit of local administration to manage food rationing, air-raid defense, firefighting, and policing of residents. • The government set up nine regional administrative councils to direct every aspect of administration in their areas under the direction of central government, which finally ended the local autonomy during wartime period.

6. Postwar reforms • On August 14, 1945, Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces according to the Postdam Declaration • The aim was to occupy and rehabilitate the state of Japan from an imperial to a peaceful democratic state • Two main objectives: • Eliminate possibility of war from Japan • Turning it into a western style nation with pro-American orientation • Once the goals of the occupation are achieved, the Allies will withdraw • There were military, political and economic reforms

7. Power and Duties • Responsible towards ordinary local public entities affairs. • Prefectural government’s responsibility: • Affairs covering a wide area • Affairs requiring uniform handling • Liaison and coordination among the municipalities • Affairs that exceed the administrative capacity of municipalities • The Constitution and the Local Autonomy Law guarantee local public entities the right to enact ordinances, applicable within boundaries.

8. Entrusted with certain functions of national government, known as “agency-delegated function”. • Supervised and directed by responsible state minister. • Chief executives may be dismissed by the prime minister. • Seen as impediments to the corporate autonomy of local public entities.

9. The executive and the legislature • Governors • Mayors Assembly Elected every 4 years  Directly

10. finances

11. Citizen Participation • For local public entities to exercise their corporate autonomy effectively it is necessary for locl residents to be aware of their civic autonomy and understand how it operates. Vote for chief executive and local assembly representatives MAIN PARTICIPATIONS Vote on Diet Legislation, demand on legislation and administration + fiscal

12. Direct demand pertains to: • The enactment, amendment • Inspection of administrative affairs • Dissolution of the local assembly • Recall of assembly members • Recall of the chief executive • Dismissal of other local public officials • System for residents’ inspection claims and residents’ litigation  allowing even one local resident to appeal to the audit and inspection commissioners regarding the questionable use of public funds, purchase, management, etc. • Control the local government include public hearings held by assembly commitees, petitions to the assembly, resident participation in administrative commisions or councils, open sessions of the assembly, and publication of assembly proceedings and other informations.

13. Trends in regional administration • The local administration of Japan has passed through three phases; • The first phase, culminated in early 1950s • The second phase, late 1950s / early 1960s • The third phase, 1970s

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