Intergovernmental Collaboration for Issues Beyond Administrative Boundaries

UKG is responsible for policymaking and implementation across jurisdictions of each member government in seven fields, namely disaster prevention; tourism cultural and sports promotion; industrial promotion; medical care; environmental conservation; qualification tests and licensing; and training for officials. This unitary approach enables the member entities to address economic, social, and environmental challenges more efficiently and effectively through development and implementation of regional-wide policies, such as public infrastructure projects and public service programs, while reflecting their local contexts.

  • Unitary approach of UKG to manage regional infrastructure

  • Local Autonomy Act Amendment in 1994 and the effectiveness of the Omnibus Decentralization Act in 2000 (roles played by the national and local governments largely changed with local authorities becoming more autonomous than hierarchical, which also meant more opportunities for decentralized development under the aegis and guidance of the central government)

  • Spontaneous leadership from cities within the Kansai Region

The national government, in general, plays a central role in developing and managing large-scale infrastructure, such as rivers works, arterial roads, or national parks. Although the delivery of contemporary infrastructure increasingly requires localized knowledge, business partnerships, and social involvement, there has traditionally been a lack of institutional capacity building to cope with region-wide matters between national-local entities. An intergovernmental body beyond administrative boundaries like UKG is set to become more important to ensure multi-stakeholder participation in planning and managing complex and expensive projects on the basis of locally-rooted research, and consensus-based decision-making.