Participatory Administration and Co-production

In Japan, the relationship between the government and citizens and civil society organisations (CSOs) is particularly close for local governments. The institutions of direct democracy used traditionally tend to be utilised by citizens and CSOs who have opinions different from those of local government chief executives and assemblies. However, in some institutions, citizens do not have the final authority to make decisions. Even in institutions where citizens have the final authority to decide, the requirements for triggering them are strict or the topics are limited. However, many CSOs participate in the service delivery phase and the government supplements its scarce administrative resources by partnering with them. Since the 1990s, against rising civic activism and financial difficulties, the government has introduced co-production that actively encourages participation in the design of policies and the service delivery phase. This chapter describes the use of institutions of direct democracy and the situation of co-production in recent years and outlines CSOs as essential partners in co-production. This chapter also touches on the issues of accountability, transparency, and representation of participants concerning co-production, as well as declining political and group participation among citizens.