Decentralization Reform

At the Diet (the House of Representatives and the House of Representatives), a resolution was passed that "we should implement drastic measures, including the enactment of laws to promote decentralization, with all our efforts," and decentralization reform was promoted nationwide. It was an opportunity to proceed.

Efforts have been made to change the relationship between the national and local governments from "up and down, master-slave" to "equivalent and cooperation", and to serve as the basis for decentralization reform. Specifically, abolition of a system in which prefectural governors and mayors of municipalities handle national affairs as national institutions (institutional delegation affairs), establishment of rules for national involvement, transfer of authority, and prefectural ordinances The establishment of a system that can transfer authority to municipalities (special administrative processing system by ordinance) was established.

The transfer of office work and authority stipulated by individual laws and regulations and the relaxation of regulations are being promoted. Initially, the committee was led by the government-led “committee recommendation method”, but from 2014 (Heisei 26), a “proposal recruitment method” was implemented to solicit proposals for nationwide system revision from local governments. I am.

In order to transfer office work and authority based on individual laws and regulations, and to relax regulations, the government will revise necessary laws and regulations, such as a lump-sum revision of related laws under the Decentralization Act. In response to the revision of laws and regulations by the government, Yokohama City is responding to the transfer of authority and enacting ordinances to set original standards.

• Overview of the First Decentralization Act (Documents prepared by the Cabinet Office) (PDF: 213KB)
• Overview of the Second Decentralization Act (Documents prepared by the Cabinet Office) (PDF: 47KB)

• Determination of city planning pertaining to area division, etc.: Effective April 1, 2012 (24)
• Certification of establishment of a non-profit organization, etc.: Effective April 1, 2012 (24)

• Outline of the mayor presentation bill (PDF: 129KB)
• Establishment of ordinances related to the development of related laws and regulations to promote reforms to enhance local autonomy and independence

• Overview of the Third Decentralization Act (Documents prepared by the Cabinet Office) (PDF: 148KB)

• Project approval for urban redevelopment projects: Effective April 1, 2014 (26)

• Establishment of ordinances accompanying the maintenance of related laws and regulations to promote reforms to enhance local independence and independence (PDF: 162KB)

• Overview of the 4th Decentralization Act (Documents prepared by the Cabinet Office) (PDF: 400KB)

• Determination of the burden and fixed number of salaries, etc. of prefectural expenses teachers, determination of class composition standards (transfer of tax resources): Effective April 1, 2017 (2017)
  • Press release (Agreement with Prefectural Government): November 14, 2013 (PDF: 173KB)
  • Special Committee on Metropolitan Administration and Finance System Data (Tax and Financial Measures): February 8, 2017 (PDF: 157KB)
• Registration and auditing of private paid passenger transportation (transfer from the government to the desired municipalities): Effective April 1, 2015 (2015)
  • Press release material (first transfer of designated cities): January 6, 2016 (PDF: 410KB)
• Determination of city planning on development and development of urban planning areas and conservation's policy (city planning area master plan): Effective June 4, 2015 (2015)

• Establishment of ordinances accompanying the maintenance of related laws and regulations to promote reforms to enhance local independence and independence (PDF: 60KB)

• Administrative work based on the Act on Medical Care for Patients in incurable disease: Effective April 1, 2018 (2018)

• Overview of the Fifth Decentralization Act (Documents prepared by the Cabinet Office) (PDF: 308KB)

• Permission to convert farmland (transfer to municipalities designated by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries): Effective April 1, 2016 (28)
  • Press release material (first designation in Japan): June 1, 2016 (PDF: 769KB)
  • Designation of designated municipalities pertaining to permission to convert farmland (Cabinet Office website) (outside site)
• Permit to manufacture explosives, etc.: Effective April 1, 2017 (2017)
• Permission to manufacture high-pressure gas, etc. (excluding office work related to specified manufacturing sites, etc.): Effective April 1, 2018 (2018)

• Establishment of ordinances accompanying the maintenance of related laws and regulations to promote reforms to enhance local autonomy and independence (PDF: 49KB)

• Overview of the Sixth Decentralization Act (Documents prepared by the Cabinet Office) (PDF: 571KB)

• Implementation of integrated employment support in cooperation with Hello Work: Effective August 20, 2016 (2016)
  ※Prior to the revision of the law, the City of Yokohama proposed proposals for the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "Action Plan: Toward the Abolition of Principles of Branch Institutions" (decided by the Cabinet Office in December 2010), and concluded a consultation with the Hello Work Office of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in February 2013. This agreement was positioned as a law-based agreement after the revision of the law.
  • Press release material (Proposal to the State): November 8, 2012 (PDF: 349KB)
  • Proposal to the State: Proposal on March 31, 2011 (Heisei 23), Proposal on November 8, 2012 (Heisei 24) (PDF: 671KB)
  • Press release document (Concluded an agreement with Kanagawa Labor Bureau): February 20, 2013 (PDF: 214KB)
  • Agreement with Kanagawa Labor Bureau: February 20, 2013 (PDF: 103KB)
  • Press release document (completed installation of all wards of the Jobs Pot): February 23, 2016 (PDF: 467KB)
  • Integrated implementation of the Public Employment Security Office (Hello Work) (Cabinet Office website) (external site)

• Outline of the 7th Decentralization Act (Documents prepared by the Cabinet Office) (PDF: 307KB)

• Accreditation of certified children's schools other than nursery school cooperative type certified children's schools, etc.: Effective April 1, 2018 (2018)
  ※Prior to the revision of the law, Yokohama City was transferred from April 2015 (Heisei 27) under the Kanagawa Prefectural Ordinance for Administrative Processing.
  • Press release material: December 2, 2013 (PDF: 379KB)

• Outline of the 8th Decentralization Act (Documents prepared by the Cabinet Office) (PDF: 533KB)

• Implementation of emergency rescue in the event of a large-scale disaster (transfer to a rescue city designated by the Prime Minister): Effective April 1, 2019 (2019)
  • Overview of the Act Revision of Part of the Disaster Relief Act (Documents prepared by the Cabinet Office) (PDF: 430KB)
  • Press release document (designation to rescue city): April 1, 2019 (PDF: 274KB)

• Overview of the 9th Decentralization Act (Documents prepared by the Cabinet Office) (PDF: 335KB)

• Overview of the 10th Decentralization Act (Documents prepared by the Cabinet Office) (PDF: 425KB)

• Authorization of the start of transportation for track managers, etc.: Effective April 1, 2022 (Reiwa 4)

• Overview of the 11th Decentralization Act (Documents prepared by the Cabinet Office) (PDF: 205KB)

• Overview of the 12th Decentralization Act (Documents prepared by the Cabinet Office) (PDF: 1,494KB)

• Administrative and authority related to registration of liquefied petroleum gas distributors: Effective April 1, 2023 (Reiwa 5)

• Overview of the 13th Decentralization Act (Documents prepared by the Cabinet Office) (PDF: 881KB)

Since 2014 (Heisei 26), the government has been implementing a “proposal recruitment method” in which local governments solicit proposals for nationwide system revision. In order to realize proposals from local governments, the Cabinet Office coordinates with the relevant ministries and agencies in charge of the system, and if it is positioned as a particularly important proposal (priority matter), it will be held under the Special Minister of the Cabinet Office. Investigation and deliberation will be conducted intensively at the Expert Meeting held. The results of the adjustment will be decided by the Cabinet as a “response policy”, and measures will be taken such as law revisions under the “Decentralization Act”.

The proposals from Yokohama City include proposals that allow school lunch fees to be paid at convenience stores, etc. (proposal in FY2017, priority items), proposals that allow them to board at international driver's license, etc. (proposal in FY2018, priority items), and proposals that are necessary for exemption from reduction measures in Child Raising Allowance (e.g., Segway) 2.

• List of proposal items and adjustment results of Yokohama City (PDF: 319KB)
• About proposal offer (Cabinet Office homepage) (outside site)
  ※Proposals from local governments nationwide, responses from relevant ministries and agencies, response policies, etc. are posted.

Under the Local Autonomy Law, a special administrative processing system has been established so that municipalities can handle some of the affairs belonging to the authority of the prefectural governor in accordance with prefectural ordinances.

• Special administrative processing system by ordinance (Cabinet Office website) (outside site)

In Yokohama City, 94 office work (as of April 1, 2021 (Reiwa 3)) has been transferred, including on-site surveys on how to display harmful books, etc., based on the Kanagawa Prefecture Special Administrative Ordinance. From 2019 (Reiwamoto), transfer of authority such as acceptance of application for issuance of general passports (passports) has been realized, and the Yokohama City Centerminami Passport Center has been newly established in the northern part of the city.

• Delegation of office work and authority from Kanagawa Prefecture List by municipalities (as of April 1, 2021 (Reiwa 3)) (Kanagawa Prefectural Documents) (PDF: 388KB)
• Press release document (Yokohama City Centerminami Passport Center will open): October 18, 2019 (Ryowagen) (PDF: 272KB)

• Decentralization reform (Cabinet Office website) (outside site)
• Transfer of authority of Kanagawa (Kanagawa homepage) (outside site)