Jan 19, 2012

Shifting gears in reconstruction

Although reconstruction of the areas hit by the March 11 triple disaster has been making slow progress, the reconstruction efforts should soon shift into full gear. Most of the ¥19 trillion funds believed to be needed for the reconstruction has been secured. The Reconstruction ...

Jan 12, 2012

Bureaucratic cling

In December 2010, the government adopted an action plan to transfer regional bureaus of central government ministries to local governments to help the latter carry out “comprehensive” administrative work for local residents. But it is unclear whether the proposal made in late December by ...

Jan 11, 2012

Residents' say over tax rates

In a report to Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in mid-December, an advisory panel on local autonomy recommended that local governments be allowed to hold assembly sessions throughout the year so that a wide range of local residents can serve as local assembly members. But ...

Dec 10, 2010

Recall of a mayor

Mayor Shinichi Takehara of Akune, Kagoshima Prefecture, was recalled in a Dec. 5 referendum. He has been criticized for taking advantage on many occasions of a provision in the Local Autonomy Law that allows a local government head to take action on important matters ...