Japanese people do not typically visit ward offices or city halls, but when necessary, these institutions become of utmost importance. It’s important to note that public administration is a government agency that is funded through taxes, distinguishing it from private businesses. In this text, I will discuss the significance of these establishments in Japan’s public administration system, as well as how the principles and government came to fruition.
What is a ward office in Japan?
Are there any “ward offices”, “city halls”, or “Yakubu” centers in your area? Ward offices are primarily tasked with providing citizens with essential services such as marriage registration, resident registration, notification of address changes, obtaining resident registration copies, seal registration certifications, and applications for national pension and national health insurance. An area is classified as an “ordinance-designated city” by the national government upon exceeding a population of 500,000, indicating that the location of the ward office is quite expansive. Being accountable for the entire city, city halls direct their attention towards various domains such as tourism, architecture, infrastructure, education and commerce. Tokyo comprises of 23 wards, 26 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages. The “special wards” of Tokyo are distinct from the ordinance-designated cities. Thus, in English translation, these 23 wards are referred to as “cities,” not “wards.” Due to Tokyo’s sizable population, these 23 wards possess the same level of authority as cities, granting them autonomy to enact their own ordinances.
What is the Local Autonomy Law?
The Local Autonomy Act was passed in 1947, aimed at linking communities and citizens with the government. Its primary objective is to establish fundamental ties between national and local authorities, ensuring democratic and vigorous administration in local governance whilst guaranteeing the smooth growth of local governments. So, there are no provisions for its prioritisation over the Local Finance Law or the Civil Service Law.
Understanding Local Public Bodies
Under the Local Autonomy Law, there are two types of local public entities: “ordinary local public entities” and “special local public entities”. “Ordinary local public entities” refer to counties and districts. Districts are the fundamental public entities that carry out administrative tasks as the organization closest to the residents. Counties conduct affairs from a wide-area perspective, including providing assistance and coordinating with districts.
When did the establishment of government and the social system undergo a pivotal moment?
Japan’s laws, social systems, and economy underwent a major transition after World War II. Japan’s rich history and complex social systems are therefore integral in understanding this phenomenon. This establishment of current society took place in less than a century. It is widely believed that Japanese administrative agencies exhibit inflexibility or difficulty due to their civil servant mentality. Nonetheless, this attribute can be attributed to the fact that there has not been enough time since these changes took place.
No Japanese is usually aware of the government. However, we rely on tremendously the institutions when we are in trouble. Some ward offices, city halls, and town halls have daily life support services for foreign residents. If you have any problems, please contact your ward office, city office, or town hall directly for the consultation. If you need translation, interpretation, liaison, or communication support, we will provide paid support in English and Japanese, please feel free to contact us.