Japan should review the way regional administrative tasks are carried out as some local governments are struggling with a lack of specialized personnel and expertise, a government study group said Monday.
The internal affairs ministry group for reviewing regional administrative services amid the country's declining population compiled a draft report that stressed the need for reallocating tasks from a fresh perspective, including having the central and prefectural governments take on some work on behalf of municipalities.
There is an "increase in administrative work primarily among municipal governments" despite personnel shortages, the draft said, adding that some municipalities "face difficulties performing such duties in an appropriate way."
The current approach to administrative work is "creating challenges in light of sustainability," it said.
As a countermeasure, the draft report proposed that multiple municipalities jointly carry out tasks that are outside their realm of expertise. A review should be conducted for each administrative duty according to its content and how to handle it, the draft added.
It said prefectures should help municipal governments in their review process, noting that municipalities struggling with administrative work often lack ways for seeking solutions. The draft urged the central government to overhaul the systems as needed based on the results of local governments' reviews.
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