Key Directions for Improving the Sustainability of Local Governments

This book aims to derive key directions for enhancing the sustainability of Japanese local government services with extremely limited policy resources. From the perspectives of intergovernmental relations, political and administrative systems, local government-third sector relations, and local government-business relations, this book presents three key directions for improving the sustainability of local governments: (1) sufficient horizontal and vertical collaborations, (2) systemic changes based on the actual conditions of local government organizations, and (3) a stronger driving force to mobilize citizens. Collaboration addresses the challenge of resource depletion by allowing local governments to draw on the policy resources of other policy actors. To enhance horizontal cooperation with municipalities, nonprofit organizations (NPOs), and businesses as well as vertical cooperation with prefectural governments, partnerships must be established regularly instead of only when the need for them arises. Systemic changes are necessary because traditional institutions and policy tools no longer adequately meet the needs of local governments or citizens’ preferences. Systemic changes become inefficient when not adapted to the actual conditions of the local government organization. In addition, a stronger driving force on the behavioral changes required by citizens to increase the effectiveness of local government policies. Mobilization strategies focus on changing citizens’ behavior are the driving force behind increasing the effectiveness of local government policies. The issues of local governance require policymakers and researchers to reconsider these measures.