News

14/01/2010

Japan opts for UK model of public sector reform

The Guardian‘s Public website has an article on how the new government of Japan is considering introducing UK-style performance management to the public sector.

13/01/2010

World Mayor

Japan has two mayors nominated on this year’s World Mayor prize longlist, Tadatoshi Akiba of Hiroshima and Daisaku Kadokawa of Kyoto.

11/01/2010

Tokyo City Promotion

This year’s Tokyo City Promotion event in London, organised by Tokyo Metropolitan Government, will be held 30 and 31 January at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre.

11/01/2010

Visit to Middlesbrough

Assistant Director Seiki Kimura visited Middlesbrough Council in North East England to research human resources management on 7 and 8 January.

11/01/2010

Japanese local government in the news

The December 2009/January 2010 issue of Monocle features an extensive profile of the mayor of Nagasaki, Tomihisa Taue.

18/12/2009

Devolving Japan

On December 14 the Japanese Cabinet agreed a plan for regional devolutionary reform. The meeting also agreed, following discussions with local government representatives, to legislate in the coming session to mark out further the division of responsibilities between national and local government and adopt a strategic outline on devolution by summer 2010. Governor Wataru Aso […]

17/12/2009

Cities act

The Climate Summit for Mayors was held in Copenhagen this week, alongside the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP15. In attendance were Tokyo’s Vice Governor Inose and Mayor Kadokawa of Kyoto.

09/12/2009

Global slowdown, local solutions

While councils here continue to respond actively and innovatively to recession, so do local authorities around the world. This LGA study reflects on council activity in 14 countries, identifies trends in good practice, and draws lessons about the importance of decentralised delivery at home. In doing so, the report shows how local authorities in other […]

17/11/2009

Japan Day Seminar 2009

The Recession One Year On: Strategies and Solutions for Local Communities The Japan Day Seminar is an annual event hosted by the Japan Local Government Centre to raise awareness of Japan and Japanese local government and provide a real-time opportunity to exchange information and ideas on local government policy and best practice concerning both the […]

03/11/2009

Case study: Creating new industry through glass recycling

Itabashi, one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, is currently engaged in a glass recycling programme in partnership with a wide range of private enterprises which aims to open up new markets using useful products made from discarded glass. The programme involves the local authority providing glass bottles to a manufacturer, who then processes […]