Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/74423

KEYWORDS : Local Revitalisation Policy;inter-governmental relations;regional policy;population decline;sustainability

This paper reviews responses to the co-authored book Improving the current administration's Local Revitalisation Policy (ISBN: 9784000238953) from researchers and practitioners in and out of Hokkaido University Public Policy School (HOPS), as well as discussions that took place at symposia at Hokkaido University, Kushiro Public University of Economics and Fukuoka University following publication. The main points are: (1) a 'division of labour' between the central and local governments in terms of regional policy, as well as balancing local autonomy and government leadership; (2) a sustainable method for regional revitalisation under the current policy decision-making system; and (3) reconciling the incompatible functional and territorial principles, as well as a way to promote voluntary intermunicipal co-operation.