open access

https://hdl.handle.net/2115/99430

Multi-Stage Citizen Opinion Aggregation in Local Government Policy-Making : The Potential of Combining Mini-Publics and Citizen Participatory Digital Platforms : Evidence from Three Local Government Case Studies

日本語

deliberation

2026-03-31

北海道大学公共政策大学院

Annals, Public Policy Studies

20

151-170

20

This article examines the potential of combining mini-publics and citizen participatory digital platforms as a new approach to citizen opinion aggregation in local government policy-making. Conventional policy-making processes have faced limitations due to declining levels of citizen participation and difficulties in ensuring both the quantity and quality of citizen input. To explore alternative approaches, this study analyzes three local government cases in Japan : Kakogawa City, Kamakura City, and Sapporo City. In these cases, multiple participation methods―including surveys, face-to-face workshops, and public comment procedures－were combined within the policy-making process, while citizen participatory digital platforms were introduced or actively considered. The findings indicate that digital participation enabled the involvement of groups that had previously been less engaged in local governance, such as younger generations, working-age residents, and child-rearing households, suggesting that these platforms can increase the quantity of citizen input. The study also examines the use of deliberative mini-publics. In Sapporo City, a pilot project tested same-generation deliberative mini-publics, which differ from conventional mini-publics that often include a higher proportion of older participants. By facilitating discussion among participants of the same generation, this approach creates a more comfortable environment for expressing opinions and helps improve the quality of citizen input. The results suggest that a multi-stage policy-making process combining mini-publics, citizen participatory digital platforms, and conventional participation methods can provide an effective framework for citizen opinion aggregation in contemporary local government policy-making.

紀要論文

Version of Record

1881-9818

AA12291642