This article analyses the perception of regional disparities, the attitudes toward reducing such disparities, and the network among elites in Japan. First, many elites recognize regional disparities, though the recognition of disparities among heads of local governments and conservative politicians is relatively weak. Second, compared with central bureaucrats, politicians in both national and local are more approval for reducing disparities. However, there is a partisan conflict over opportunity and a multi-level conflict over outcome. Thirdly, the network among elites is classified into three types: the ruling party network, which is less approval for reducing the disparities as a whole; the opposition party network, which is approval for reducing the disparities in opportunity; and the local network, which is approval for reducing the disparities in outcome. Fourth, the perception of regional disparities effects on the attitudes toward reducing such disparities, and the effect is conditioned by fiscal discipline.
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