Relations between National Government and Local Government in Japan
| Date | 01 June 1982 |
| DOI | 10.1177/002085238204800209 |
| Published date | 01 June 1982 |
| Author | Muneyuki Shindo |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Relations between National Government
and Local Government in Japan
UDC : 354 : 352 (52)
by
Muneyuki SHINDO,
Lecturer, Senshu University
I. INTRODUCTION
the pre-war period, and then approach the
present situation and the problems it creates.
Similar to many other nations of the world,
Japan has three levels of government: na-
II. RELATIONS BETWEEN NATIONAL
tional government, prefectural government, and
_ GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL GOV-
municipal government. As of September 1981,
ERNMENT IN THE PRE-WAR
there exist 47 prefectural governments (To,
PERIOD
Do, Fu, Ken) and 3,255 municipal governments
(Shi, Cho, Son) under the national government
1. Joint Control by Bureaucracy and Local
which assumes responsibilities for the nation
Magnates
as a whole.
There were no provisions concerning local
Japan is a unitary state, and Japan’s inter-
autonomy in the pre-war Imperial Constitution
governmental relations differ from that of
of Japan (the Meiji Constitution). However,
federal states.
Both the prefectural govern-
terms such as &dquo; local autonomy&dquo; or &dquo; local
ment and municipal government are classified
authorities &dquo; had been frequently used in vari-
as local government.
The Constitution of
ous quarters.
Japan which came into effect on May 3 1947,
It is said that the local
included four articles
autonomy system of
on Local Self-Govern-
ment in Chapter 8. Article 92 of the Consti-
Japan was established in the 1890s after many
trials and
tution
errors
states that &dquo; regulations concerning
following on the Meiji Res-
or-
toration. The then
ganization and operations of local public
Meiji Government estab-
en-
lished four Local
tities shall be fixed by law in accordance with
Authority Laws in 1888
and 1890: the
the principle of local autonomy &dquo;. Pursuant
former, Shi-Sei (city system), and
Cho-Son-Sei
to this provision, the Local Autonomy Law
(town and village system), the
latter, Fu-Ken-Sei (prefecture system), and
was enforced as a fundamental law for local
Gun-Sei (county system). Chihokan-Kansei
government on the same day.
It can be
said, from the viewpoint of
(an Imperial ordinance on the local officials
a constitutional
system), which had been enacted when the
system, that the Constitution guarantees local
Cabinet
autonomy, and that local autonomy
system was established in 1885, was
represents
revised to ensure conformity with the four
a principle of the political system in Japan,
Local
which is
Authority Laws.
The Gun-Sei was
as important as that of the separation
abolished in
of
1921, but other laws, with several
powers into the executive, legislative and
judicial branches.
amendments, remained until reform measures
were implemented after World War II.
However, it is often pointed out that local
The relations between national
government has &dquo; 30 percent autonomy &dquo;
government
or
and local
&dquo; 10 percent autonomy&dquo;, and the right of
government had been buttressed by
the two
autonomy of local government remains basic-
systems of law: the Local Authority
Laws and Chihokan-Kansei. ’This
ally weak and under the strong control of the
system was
described
national
as allocating &dquo; politics and
government. As has been clarified
rights ’’
in the national
by extensive research, relations between
government, and &dquo; administra-
na-
tional
tion and
and local government during the
obligations &dquo; for local government.
pre-war
Fu and Ken
period still persist, in
as well as
spite of democratic
Shi, Cho and Sor
re-
forms following World War II taking
emerged as local authorities with corporate
a dif-
ferent form. This tendency has been strength-
power and responsibility in accordance wit
the Local
ened amid rapid economic
Authority Laws. They did have
progress.
local assemblies elected by popular vote witt
This paper will trace the relationship be-
limited suffrage. The governors of Fu or Ken
tween national and local government during
who, as stipulated by the Fu-Ken-Sei, admin-
181
ister and represent Fu or Ken, were ordinary
people, ranging from intellectuals to wage
local agents of the national government in
earners and farmers, promoted movements de-
accordance with Chihokan-Kansei as well as
manding political participation and decentral-
local officers appointed by the Emperor. Gov-
ization. As a result, although the relationship
ernors were subject to the supervision and
between national and local government still
control of the Minister of Home Affairs with
remained within the framework of the dual
respect to the personnel and organization of
system of Local Authority Laws and Chihokan-
local authorities, and the supervision and con-
Kansei, political participation by the people
trol of each competent minister concerning
gradually progressed and control by the na-
the execution of their respective administrative
tional government shifted to financial aspects.
affairs.
The activities of Fu or Ken were
extremely limited and consisted mainly of af-
Regarding the right to vote, suffrage was
fairs entrusted for execution to the
expanded when the Local
governors
Authority Laws
were revised in 1921 and 1922.
In
as ordinary local agents.
1925,
equal voting rights for national political elec-
Although Fu and Ken were classified as
tions were granted to male citizens, and these
local authorities, they, in reality, were --more
voting rights were also applied to the election
administrative regions of the national govern-
of the assemblies of Fu, Ken, Shi, Cho and
ment. Even for those affairs of national gov-
Son in 1926.
Together with these amend-
ernment which governors were entrusted to
ments, restrictions were placed on the super-
execute, local authorities had to share the ex-
vising and controlling powers of the Minister
penses with the national government.
The
of Home Affairs and governors with respect
local assemblies of Fu and Ken composed of
to the administration of local government. In
local magnates elected by limited vote had
1929, the assemblies of Fu and Ken were
the right to approve the revenue and expendi-
vested with regulation-making power.
ture budgets. In reality, however, the major
role of local assemblies
These
was merely to agree
improvements brought an end to the
to bear the
classical
expenses of national administrative
system of local autonomy fostered by
affairs.
the Meiji Government. Although the cen-
. tralized relationship between national and local
The relationship between Fu or Ken and
government was preserved, control of the na-
their subordinate authorities (Shi, Cho, Son)
tional government moved in the direction of
was similar to that between the national gov-
modernized financial control in the 1930s.
ernment and Fu or Ken. These subordinate
Such a change was created not merely by the
authorities were responsible for a wide range
expansion of suffrage. The national govern-
of national administrative affairs under the
ment intended to implement changes in its
supervision and control of the governors.
financial function (the development of new
fiscal
As described above, intergovernmental
policies) in order to deal with the
re-
ag-
...
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