A government panel on devolution has submitted its first set of recommendations to Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. The primary aim of the recommendations is to enable local governments to flexibly meet the needs of local residents by breaking with national conformity. The panel is scheduled to submit further recommendations and the government plans to submit devolution promotion bills to the Diet in the fall of 2009. Mr. Fukuda must display leadership to make the devolution plan benefit local governments and citizens.
The panel called for transferring 359 administrative powers and responsibilities from prefectural governments to municipalities. But only 28 would go to towns and villages; the remainder would go to cities. For example, municipalities would have greater power in urban planning and pollution control. They could also set standards for nurseries — whose establishment would be approved by prefectural governments — choosing locations or offering services for children whose parents work at night.
Prefectural governments would become able to decide how many hospital beds are necessary. Locally run public-housing complexes could offer more floor space.
But in some fields the panel met strong resistance from government ministries. The panel had hoped that the power to manage all national highways and 65 large river systems, now held by the central government, would be transferred to prefectural governments. But it backed down in the face of resistance from the land, infrastructure and transport ministry. The panel also proposed that prefectural governments be allowed to approve plans to convert agricultural fields of 4 hectares or more to other land uses, but the agriculture ministry opposes the plan. The ministry needs to rouse constructive discussions on the matter.
Local governments should be given more personnel and revenue sources. For their part, local governments must demonstrate a willingness to shoulder greater responsibilities.