The government panel on devolution has submitted its third set of recommendations to Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, calling for the relaxation or abolition of 892 items, most of them related to administrative service standards for local residents. These standards are imposed by the central government on local governments, and the items in question should be reviewed in earnest.
Internal Affairs Minister Kazuhiro Haraguchi showed a positive approach, saying that his ministry will give priority to reviewing 103 items that have been fiercely criticized by local governments. These items include the minimum floor space per child required in nursery schools (1.98 square meters), the minimum width of roads connecting residential areas to main roads (two meters) and the maximum income of people eligible to live in public housing (¥158,000 per month).
Relaxing or abolishing these standards will help local governments improve services for residents, construct more nursery schools, and have generally more flexibility in dealing with problems.