• DOI:10.1080/13439006.2010.531115
• Corpus ID: 154999192

Local Government in Japan: New Directions in Governance toward Citizens' Autonomy

@article{Shimizutani2010LocalGI,
  title={Local Government in Japan: New Directions in Governance toward Citizens' Autonomy},
  author={Satoshi Shimizutani},
  journal={Asia-Pacific Review},
  year={2010},
  volume={17},
  pages={117 - 99}
}

• Satoshi Shimizutani
• Published 1 November 2010
• Political Science
• Asia-Pacific Review

Local autonomy is a fundamental base for making democracy work, and is often referred to as a “school in democracy.” However, in Japan to date, local autonomy has suffered from a substantial gap between what it should be in an ideal form and what it has been in reality. This article explores a desirable and effective reform of local governance with the advent of the “local era,” which is prompting unprecedented levels of citizens' attention to local authorities.