The policy since 1999 in which the central government took the initiative in promoting mergers of municipalities came to an end March 31. The next day the revised special law for such mergers went into effect. It gives priority to the central government helping municipalities that opt for mergers of their own free will.
Central government-led mergers from the end of March 1998 to the end of March 2010 decreased the number of municipalities from 3,232 to 1,727. The average municipality population increased from 36,400 to 60,890, while the average area almost doubled from 115 sq. km to 215 sq. km. The internal affairs ministry says the number of mayors, vice mayors, finance chiefs and assembly members fell by some 21,000 and that ¥120 billion was saved in annual personnel costs.
The central government has pushed the mergers to improve the financial foundations of municipalities as Japan's population decreases and becomes grayer. But about 26 percent of the nation's municipalities are small, with a population of less than 10,000. They are likely to have fewer civil service workers and be unable to provide adequate administrative and social welfare services to residents.
According to a March report issued by the internal affairs ministry, various surveys show that people's overall assessment of the municipality mergers in the past 11 years is negative. For many residents, municipal government offices have become remote. There are voices that areas far from central areas of municipalities have become impoverished. The decrease in the number of assembly members has led to weaker communication between residents and municipal governments.
The central government should seriously consider ways to revitalize public services in communities. One way would be to strengthen cooperation among municipal governments, nonprofit organizations and residents. Branches of municipal governments should be given more money and administrative power. The central government should also support administrative cooperation between small municipalities.