Eleven municipalities across Japan came into being Tuesday through municipal mergers, reflecting the acceleration of such consolidation ahead of the March 2005 expiration of the special merger law.
The municipalities were melded out of 33 cities, towns and villages, according to the Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications Ministry.
The law allows special treatment for merging municipalities, including preferential tax treatment and guaranteed employment for municipal staff for certain periods of time.
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