Abstract
The Landscape Act of 2005 has enabled local authorities to control townscapes with previously non-existant vigor. In actuality, however, it's unclear how Japanese townscape control systems have advanced in response to the new Act. So this study aims to clarify this progress by comparing old independent ordinances and landscape plans. As a result of this analysis, it has become clear that the contents of old independent ordinances have been reconstructed and the standards of townscape controls have advanced in many municipalities, but nearly all local authorities aren't using the Act's new systems. One reason for the low use of the Act appears to be that local authorities thought consensus building with residents was difficult when they used the new systems, so a system of consensus building should be facilitated for easier implementation by the prefectures.
