Chiho-Jichiho Gaisetsu (Local Autonomy Law Text: 10th Edition)

As the Local Autonomy Act is frequently revised, failure to revise a text on this topic means that it will soon be out of date. Accordingly, a policy of revising this book every other year has been adopted, and every effort is made to inform readers of latest content. The following are notable features of this book. First, the book not only explains the content of the law but also provides numerous judicial precedents accompanied by commentary. When a dispute arises regarding interpretation of a law, the dispute is resolved based on the decision of the court when it is brought up in litigation. Thus, it is also important to understand judicial precedents. In addition, case numbers are provided for judicial precedents included in 100 Judicial Precedents regarding the Local Autonomy Act (Fourth Edition) to enable readers to investigate these cases in greater detail in 100 Judicial Precedents. Second, the text provides an extensive list of relevant books and papers in footnotes that can be used by students conducting research for reports as part of their coursework or public employees conducting research as part of their duties. Readers wishing to delve deeper into the issues addressed in this text are encouraged to make use of the extensive bibliography included in the footnotes. Third, the book not only explains the various systems but, to the extent possible, discusses their implementation. Whenever a new edition is published, the data are updated with the most recent data available. Fourth, the main points covered in a given chapter are summarized at the start of each chapter. We hope that the reader keeps these points in mind while reading the chapter and, after reading the chapter, is able to deepen their understanding of the main points by re-reading these points. Fifth, the book also includes standalone articles intended to deepen readers’ interest in local government. There are 154 such articles in total, with one column for approximately every three pages. The standalone articles, which deal with various topics including new issues reported in newspapers and other media, are intended to foster readers’ awareness of the close relationship between the Local Autonomy Act and everyday life. The end of the book contains a timeline of recent progress towards the decentralization of power as well as an index of judicial precedents and subject index. When the topic of interest is not apparent from the table of contents, the reader is encouraged to refer to this subject index. Readers interested in the local public service law are referred to Administrative Law Text, Vol. III Administrative Organization Law/Civil Service Law/Public Things Law (Fifth Edition) (Yuhikaku, 2019).
 

(Written by UGA Katsuya, Professor, Graduate Schools for Law and Politics / 2018)