Comparative analysis of referendums in Japanese Local Government

Abstract

　Since 1996, a large number of referendums, mainly on those related to municipal amalgamation ( "Heisei-Dai-Gappei" ) are being held in Japanese local governments. In this paper, the author focuses on the referendums which question the pros and cons of local government's projects, and compare the processes by which referendums are decided, the options that the voters can choose, and the degree of voting participation. We find that the issues of early phase of referendums were linked to the problem of NIMBY (Not-In-My-Back-Yard), especially nuclear plants, industrial waste disposal sites, and military bases. In this phase, the referendums which finally decided by local assembly members who tended to oppose referendums were significant opportunities to exercise "veto power" by residents in the policy process of local governments. However, as the referendum spreads, there are increasing number of referendums which question the pros and cons of construction of public facilities in particular city halls. Local assembly members do not necessarily oppose such new type of referendums, and some local politicians may rather actively ask for the implementation of referendums to demonstrate their influence in the policy process. Based on such experiences of the transition period, the author argues that the referendum should be institutionalized as the exercise of veto by the residents.