Local Power in the Japanese State00 In 1993, wave after wave of scandals led to the collapse of the one-party system in Japan. Since then, reformers have focused more and more on redistributing power from the highly centralized national government to regional and municipal administrations, just as the United States and other countries around the world move toward increased local autonomy, block grants, and decentralization. But are local entities ready for the new responsibilities? Muramatsu Michio demonstrates that throughout the postwar era, Japanese local governments have exercised far more power than previously understood. He synthesizes theories of central-local relations in Japan and around the world, comparing U.S., British, and French models to his own data on prefectural and municipal governments in Japan. Focusing on housing subsidies, land use regulation, and the development of the welfare state, Muramatsu offers a fascinating reinterpretation of the meaning of local autonomy in a contemporary context. In 1993, wave after wave of scandals led to the collapse of the one-party system in Japan. Since then, reformers have focused more and more on redistributing power from the highly centralized national government to regional and municipal administrations, just as the United States and other countries around the world move toward increased local autonomy, block grants, and decentralization. But are local entities ready for the new responsibilities? Muramatsu Michio demonstrates that throughout the postwar era, Japanese local governments have exercised far more power than previously understood. He synthesizes theories of central-local relations in Japan and around the world, comparing U.S., British, and French models to his own data on prefectural and municipal governments in Japan. Focusing on housing subsidies, land use regulation, and the development of the welfare state, Muramatsu offers a fascinating reinterpretation of the meaning of local autonomy in a contemporary context. |
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activities administrative control model agency-delegated functions analyze areas auton autonomy become block grants budget central government central ministries central-local relations citizens confrontation conservative corporatism day nurseries decentralization differences economic elected Diet members ernment example federal Financial section heads Frontier Party governing bodies groups gubernatorial Home Affairs horizontal political competition implementation important increase independent influence interests issue Japan Japanese local government Kyoto leftist Liberal Democratic Party locally elected Diet mayors mediate ment ministries and agencies Ministry of Home municipalities Muramatsu Nagahama national government national subsidies nicipalities officials Osaka participation percent plans political competition model political parties political process politicians prefec prewar problems programs public housing Quasi-urban rela relationship responses role Second Rinchō Sentā Sidney Tarrow Social welfare section Socialist structure theory tion Tokyo Tsuji Type of Prefecture U.S.-Japan Security Treaty urban governors vertical administrative control