The central government is expected to decide on a "strategic outline" this month for promoting devolution. The focus will be on relaxing rigid administrative rules imposed by the central government on local governments, changing subsidies from those with strings attached to grants that can be used freely, and transferring regional offices of the central government's ministries and agencies to local governments.
The Diet is deliberating on three devolution-related bills. One of the main features is the establishment of an official forum for Cabinet members and local government leaders to discuss policy measures. Results of their discussions will carry legal weight.
Some ministries and agencies are not eager to delegate power to local governments. According to the "devolution strategic council" whose head is the prime minister, they have agreed to review 61 percent of the rigid administrative rules that the government's devolution panel had flagged, and to allow municipalities to take over 46 percent of the administrative work and services that the panel had recommended be transferred to the local level.
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