There is a growing trend among prefectural governments to distance themselves from Kasumigaseki, the seat of the nation's bureaucracy, as moves accelerate to decentralize the national government and a recent ban, issued in response to a series of scandals, prevents lawmakers from wining and dining ministry and agency officials.
Prefectural governments have traditionally maintained offices in Tokyo to collect information from ministries and agencies as well as to petition the national government for assistance.
But many prefectural governments' offices these days find their main reason for being in Tokyo is to promote exchanges with universities and various corporations.