Abstract
The system of Metropole started in France to enhance international competitiveness of the cities by achieving economic development through partnership among urban areas. This system differs from the old spatial planning system and it consists of the offerings of the national government, the formulation of the strategic plans by local governments, and the exchanging contracts between the national and local governments to secure financial resources. This study analyses the Metropole system and clarifies the significances and the issues of the spatial planning in this central-local collaborative approach. It is argued that Metropole is a useful approach for a decentralized spatial planning system, because it contributes to a coherent policy from the viewpoint of the national government, while it achieves regional development and in the same time it takes into consideration the situations of each regions and their local governments.
