Subcommittee on Ideal Government and Organizations (Second Meeting)

Thursday, March 13, 2003

Meeting Agenda

Matters relating to ideal government and organizations (local autonomy: the actual situation of small local governments)

After a statement was heard from Mayor ABE Manao concerning the above matters, questions were put to him; this was followed by free discussion among the members.

Informant

  • ABE Manao, Mayor of Kameda Town, Niigata Prefecture

Members who put questions to Mayor ABE

Main points of Mayor ABE's statement

1. Outline of Kameda Town

>> Kameda Town has a population of just over 32,000 and an area of about 16 square kilometers. Geographically, it lies to the southeast of Niigata City and west of Yokogoshi Town. A high proportion of its residents commute to jobs or schools in Niigata City, and daily life in Kameda is also closely connected with the city, which surrounds the town around two-thirds of its perimeter.

2. The Kameda town planning concept

>> In Kameda, we drew up a town planning master plan in 1993 and have focused on the fields of welfare and education, for example, by establishing a welfare zone to the east of the station.

3. Wide-area mergers

>> Kameda has been seeking city status in light of the big difference in finances and authority between city governments and those of towns and villages. To that end, initially we developed a "50,000-Person City Concept" involving a merger with Yokogoshi, another town which, like Kameda, did not merge with Niigata City during the large-scale mergers in the Showa Era.

>> We later adopted a different approach against the background of the entry into force of the Comprehensive Decentralization Law and the Special Law on Mergers of Municipal Authorities. At the request of the Kameda Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other groups, the Council on the Niigata-Kameda-Yokogoshi Merger Issue was established and began deliberations in 2001. However, in response to arguments for merging with other nearby municipalities, in 2002 the Council was dissolved and replaced by the Council on the Niigata District Merger Issue, which brings together four cities, four towns, and four villages with the aim of forming a designated city (a city with population of 500,000 or more specially designated by government ordinance and having certain administrative powers that normally belong to the prefectural government).

4. The Niigata Urban Sphere Vision

>> If a designated city becomes a reality, it will be the first on the Japan Sea coast, and it will contain one-third of the population of Niigata Prefecture. Also, making the most of our geographic advantages-our central location within Japan and our ready access to other regions such as Southeast Asia-we will aim to develop the city further by expanding the airport and related facilities, promoting ties with neighboring prefectures, and building up trade.

>> The Niigata Urban Sphere Vision proposes five "ideal urban models," such as "a city that is home to dynamic industrial development." In view of Kameda's position until now as a subcenter of Niigata City, we would like our town to develop as a secondary core within the newly created city.

Main questions and comments to Mayor ABE

FUKUI Teru (Liberal Democratic Party)

>> Kameda has changed its approach to mergers from the "50,000-Person City Concept" involving a merger with Yokogoshi, to forming a designated city by merging with Niigata City and a number of other municipalities. I would like to hear your views on the merits and demerits of these two concepts.

>> The Japanese today no longer have a place to develop a sense of ethics or morality. Thus, when promoting wide-area mergers, I believe we must take care to preserve local communities to help ensure that we do not lose sight of our values as Japanese. What are your views on this point?

>> In promoting wide-area mergers, the process sometimes includes a residents' referendum. I would like to hear your views on how public opinion should be assessed.


FURUKAWA Motohisa (Democratic Party of Japan and Club of Independents)

>> In view of the financial exhaustion of local governments in the ongoing economic slump, I believe that we should reorganize the prefectures and introduce a do-shu system, as this would help revitalize the regions, among other benefits. If Kameda succeeds in forming a designated city, I think the role of the prefectural government will be diminished, relatively speaking. How do you view the role of the prefectures including the introduction of a do-shu system?

>> Among the possible keys to independence for small local governments are measures to increase the population and promote industry to secure fiscal resources. What are your views on these points?


SAITO Tetsuo (New Komeito)

>> You said that Kameda was initially interested in a "50,000-Person City Concept" involving a merger with Yokogoshi, but why did you not consider a merger with Niigata City from the start? Were you thinking of first realizing the "50,000-Person City Concept" and then aiming for designated city status?

>> The designated city system creates a direct link between the city and the national government. This can lead to difficult relations with the prefectural government, and also to duplication and waste in public works projects. Thus, in my view, the designated city system conflicts with the usual system based on the city, prefecture, and national government; it is like having one nation with two systems. Why are you so interested in gaining designated city status?

>> From the standpoint of decentralization, how do you view the division of roles between the national and local governments in the field of education?

>> Opponents of mergers say that the wishes of local residents will no longer be heeded in such areas as welfare. How do you view the relationship between wide-area mergers and reflecting the opinions of local residents?


TAKEYAMA Yuriko (Liberal Party)

>> Why didn't Kameda merge with Niigata City during the large-scale municipal mergers in 1953?

>> Could you give us some concrete examples of work that Kameda is handling through regional partnerships?

>> Until now, Kameda has been operating with inadequate powers and fiscal resources. How has the prefectural government responded to this situation?

>> Is Kameda promoting the merger concept because the town's residents want to receive the same administrative services as Niigata City?

>> What is your basic reason for promoting the concept of a merger between Kameda, Niigata City, and the other municipalities?


YAMAGUCHI Tomio (Japanese Communist Party)

>> You commented that Kameda gives top priority to welfare and education, and I believe that, in terms of the Constitution and the principle of local autonomy, these are the business of local government. Are there any points in your relationship with the national or prefectural government that make it difficult for you to promote policies in these fields, or that you would like to see improved?

>> Since the residents' wishes are fundamental to mergers, I believe we should emphasize information disclosure and the decisions of residents. Also, I think we should be careful that mergers do not lead to a decline in administrative services. From the viewpoint of respecting residents' wishes, given that the survey results could be said to show that opinion on the proposed merger remains divided even after six orientation meetings, how are you thinking of appealing to residents in future? Also, are you carrying on a regular exchange of opinions in the town assembly, for example, in a special committee?


KITAGAWA Renko (Social Democratic Party)

>> In modern society with its many conflicts of opinion, there is a problem from the viewpoint of resident self-government and political participation by residents when long-established municipal assemblies which are in close touch with the local community cease to exist as a result of mergers. Mergers are also resulting in restructuring of the local public service, and this is likely to have a major impact on local economies. Accordingly, I do not think that mergers can be evaluated solely from the viewpoint of cost savings, as you suggested. Would you like to comment on this?

>> How do you view the statement by the chairman of the National Association of Towns and Villages opposing forced mergers, and the fact that the heads of a number of municipalities in the vicinity of Kameda are opposed to a merger?

>> It seems to me that Kameda and its residents could prosper under the initial proposal, the "50,000-Person City Concept" involving a merger with Yokogoshi, if there were a transfer of powers and fiscal resources from the national or prefectural government. Would you like to comment on this?


INOUE Kiichi (New Conservative Party)

>> I believe that mergers are necessary to avoid wasted investment due to standardized land use by local governments and to increase the efficiency of public finances. In the case of Niigata Prefecture, where your town is located, I think it would be better to take the process further and make the whole prefecture a single city. What are your views on this?

>> Although the circumstances are different for prefectural governors and mayors, do you think that term limits are necessary for the heads of local governments, and if so, how many terms do you think are appropriate?


SATO Tsutomu (Liberal Democratic Party)

>> Is Kameda's support for a merger based on the idea that the number of municipalities should be reduced by promoting mergers throughout the prefecture? Also, I think that, in pursuing merger talks, you should ensure that the merger is to Kameda's advantage. What are your views in this regard?

>> Improving services to residents has been cited as one advantage of a merger, but, judging from the materials put out by the merger council, it seems to me that, in some respects, Kameda has better services than Niigata city in such fields as child welfare and the welfare of the elderly. After the merger, what do you see happening in those fields where Kameda's services to residents are currently superior?

>> As decentralization progresses, developing human resources will likely become an increasingly important task for local governments. What are your views on this point? Also, please tell us about any concrete action that Kameda is taking in this area.


NAKAGAWA Masaharu (Democratic Party of Japan and Club of Independents)

>> In Kameda, the basic conditions for a merger with Niigata seem to be in place, e.g., a high percentage of residents commute to jobs and schools in the city. Nevertheless, in the survey results, about 30 percent of residents were not supportive of the merger talks. What do you think is the reason for this?

>> In the event that Kameda became part of a designated city as a result of mergers, it should be possible to maintain the identity of the original towns and villages, primarily by means of a ward system, and yet residents are still concerned about how they would be able to participate in government and politics. What are your views on this point?


ITO Kosuke (Liberal Democratic Party)

>> If you were to name three things in which Kameda takes pride, what would they be?

>> Today, cross-regional administration is needed in some sectors of local government, such as waste disposal and the siting of airports or nuclear power plants. Also, there is a trend toward the belief that cities and rural areas should each pursue what they do best. Taking such ideas into account, how do you envision the Kameda of the future?


Main points of comments by members of the Subcommittee (in order of presentation)

SHIMA Satoshi (Democratic Party of Japan and Club of Independents)

>> We need to set in order the relationship between, on the one hand, indirect and direct democracy and, on the other, resident self-government, taking into consideration (a) those cases where a very large number of residents' signatures has been presented in accordance with the procedure for establishing a merger council by a residents' initiative (which requires the signatures of at least one-fiftieth of the voters), and yet no council was established because of the opposition of just one of the municipal assemblies concerned; and (b) the fact that the special law required for a merger of prefectures corresponds to the "special law, applicable only to one local public entity" referred to in Article 95 of the Constitution, and a residents' referendum must therefore be conducted in the local public entity concerned before it can be enacted.


TANIKAWA Kazuo (Liberal Democratic Party)

>> Surely the time has come when we can no longer think about local autonomy solely in terms of self-government by residents and local public entities as provided for in Articles 93 and 94 of the existing Constitution. For example, a city manager system (the world's first example of which was adopted in Dayton, Ohio) could not be introduced under the existing Constitution. Debate is needed on whether we should think about the questions of local autonomy and decentralization solely within the framework of the existing Constitution.