Policy Assessment of Local Government after 'Heisei municipal merger': A Sociological Approach

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25518011
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 公共政策
• Research Institution: The University of Shiga Prefecture
• Principal Investigator: Maruyama Masao 滋賀県立大学, 人間文化学部, 准教授 (80551374)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 地域社会学 / 公共政策 / 市町村合併 / 平成の大合併 / 政策評価

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Between the end of 1990s and middle of 2000s, the Japanese government executed a policy called 'Heisei municipal merger' to promote local governments' mergers. As a consequence, did the merged local governments prepare themselves for the new regional socioeconomic circumstances (for example, acceleration of demographic ageing and progress of inter-regional competition under economic globalization)? At present, we need to validate and assess the effect of the 'Heisei municipal merger' from the sociological viewpoint. In this research project, we interviewed policymakers of merged local governments and conducted questionnaire surveys that aimed at understanding the residents' viewpoints in the merged areas, Hamamatsu city of Shizuoka Prefecture and Joetsu city of Niigata Prefecture. The results clarified some distinctive aspects of the merged local governments' policies, as well as patterns in residents' evaluation of the local governments' mergers.

Free Research Field

社会学