The government's devolution promotion headquarters has decided on a general plan for devolution in response to the first set of recommendations made by a government panel dealing with the issue. The general plan shows that some ministries are still putting up resistance to giving up their powers. The government needs to show its seriousness about pushing devolution by demonstrating its readiness to break vested interests where necessary.
As for the transfer of powers from the central to local governments, the general plan leaves 28 of 37 items in the panel's recommendations unchanged. It also says that in carrying out devolution reform, the central government will take necessary measures such as transferring personnel and revenue sources from the state to local governments. Under the plan, 359 administrative powers and responsibilities will be transferred from prefectural governments to municipalities.
Although the panel recommended that prefectural governments be allowed to approve plans to convert agricultural fields of 4 hectares or more to other land uses, the plan diluted this wording because of resistance from the agriculture ministry. It says only that approval of land uses should be considered along the lines of the panel's recommendation. The panel took into account the fact that as many agricultural fields have been abandoned, villages, especially in mountainous areas, have become impoverished — proof that the ministry's policy has not worked well. The plan ignores the fact that local governments know better about the situation surrounding agricultural fields.