Miyagi Prefecture is the most open and willing prefecture to disclose information to the public, a position it has held for five consecutive years, according to a recent study by a citizens' ombudsman association.

In its annual study ranking the nation's 47 prefectures, Miyagi maintained the top spot with 93 points on a 100-point scale, the Japan Citizen's Ombudsman Association said.

The finding was based on research by various local groups affiliated with the Nagoya-based association that had sought access to information from local governments in December.

According to the study, Iwate, Mie and Wakayama prefectures trailed Miyagi with 91 points each.

Nagasaki was the least willing prefecture to disclose information, receiving just 26 points.

The criteria in the study included accessing information about people who receive money from police chiefs' expense accounts, documents such as evaluations of public works projects, and periodic audits of prefectural police forces.

On public access to periodic audits and public works evaluations, Wakayama Prefecture moved all the way up to second, after ranking 29th in the previous survey.

Yamaguchi, tied for 29th in the last study, rose to eighth.

Tokyo was not ranked in this category because it charges fees for public access to such documents.

Yamaguchi was again the most willing to provide information about police chiefs' expense account expenditures, and Iwate, Tokyo, Yamanashi, Nagano and Mie prefectures scored 100 percent for their willingness to give public access to documents pertaining to public works evaluations.

On periodic audits of prefectural police forces, eight prefectures, including Kanagawa, Gifu and Okinawa, scored 100 percent. But Kochi blocked all public access to such information.