Paper short abstract:

This report examines whether decision-making through referendums leads to the resolution of regional issues, such as the environment, safety, and financial problems faced by local governments, and it indicates that referendums are effective in solving regional problems.

Paper long abstract:

Since the 1990s, Japan has actively held referendums based on ordinances on issues including nuclear power plants, US military bases, industrial waste　treatment facilities, and the construction of public facilities. This report analyzes the results of these referendums and examines whether the method of decision-making through referendums leads to the resolution of regional issues, such as the environment, safety, and financial problems faced by local governments in Japan. As a method of analysis, we categorize the political conflict structure of the 48 referendums that were conducted. Under the dual representation system, the following three patterns are identified: residents’ objections to policies promoted by the chief and assembly, residents’ settlement of policies conflicting between the chief and assembly, and residents’ joint action on policies opposed by the chief and assembly. Consequently, NIMBY facilities—such as nuclear power plants, US military bases, and industrial waste facilities—revealed patterns that were promoted by the chiefs and assembly, patterns that either opposed, and patterns that both opposed. These issues, which are policies promoted by the national government, reveal that the positions of the chiefs and assemblies are diverse for each municipality. Conversely, both the chief and the assembly promoted the construction of public facilities in most cases. It was also found that in about half of all referendum cases, the referendum resulted in the withdrawal of a policy promoted by the chief. The above points indicate that—in referendums held in Japan’s local governments—residents exercise their initiative in making decisions regarding chiefs and assemblies’ joint steps and confrontational structures for NIMBY facilities. Furthermore, residents exercise their veto power from the perspective of fiscal consolidation regarding the construction of public facilities. The results indicate that referendums in local governments in Japan are effective in that they can replace the checking function of local assemblies in solving regional issues.