Elucidation of changes of government in Japanese local politics

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K01457
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 06010:Politics-related
• Research Institution: Konan University
• Principal Investigator: Junichi Hirano 甲南大学, 法学部, 准教授 (10550949)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 地方政治論

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The study explored what factors contribute to change of mayor at the city level. It also explored the process of the formation of the political base for the newly elected mayors. The analysis found that the situation in previous mayoral elections was closely linked to the change of government in the city. It was also found that mayors who were more flexible in revising their own policies after being elected, rather than sticking to their own policies or reviewing existing projects, were more likely to continue to be re-elected.

Free Research Field

政治学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現職首長の当落の要因や、新しく当選した首長の支持基盤形成の実態については、未解明の点が多く、本研究による貢献は大きいといえる。また、新しく当選した市長が安定した市政運営をできるかどうかは、選挙による代表の選出が正常に機能しているかといった問題や、地方自治体のパフォーマンスの問題と直接結びついており、本研究が貢献できる余地は大きい。