The Condition of Neoliberal “Public-Private Partnership”

A Genealogy of Regional Development Planning in Awaji Island, Hyogo Prefecture

Abstract

Since the 2010s, the discipline of urban and regional sociology has increasingly debated whether the ideological underpinnings of regional development in Japan have shifted from “developmentalism” to “neoliberalism.” Although different perspectives have been proposed, a consensus has not been reached.

In this context, this paper argues that contemporary regional development in Japan has shifted towards neoliberal policies, while retaining substantial developmental attributes. This assertion is grounded in an analysis of the formation process of “public-private partnership” between a staffing firm and Hyogo Prefecture in the northern part of Awaji Island, and a theoretical view of previous research on the problematic aspects of the neoliberalization of urban and regional policies in Europe.

The paper has four parts. Firstly, it argues for reconstructing “developmentalism” and “neoliberalism” to overcome the impasse encountered in previous discussions on regional development in Japan. Secondly, it emphasizes the significance of neoliberal “public-private partnership” for regional development in the northern part of Awaji Island, highlighting how corporate activities are strengthened through close collaborations with local governments. Thirdly, it describes how this relationship has evolved as an extension of the historical lineage of regional development in postwar Japan, tracing, in particular, its roots through Hyogo Prefecture`s regional development history. Finally, the paper investigates the transition and continuity of “developmentalism” in Japan, as underscored by the case study, and explains the advantages of the analytical framework presented.