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Japan has 47 prefectures. The prefecture is the largest administrative subdivision. Each has an elected governor and legislature, and an administrative bureaucracy. The prefectures are often grouped into regions. Those regions are not formally specified, they do not have elected officials, nor are they corporate bodies. The prefectures are further subdivided into cities, towns and villages. The nomenclature is different in the former city of Tokyo, which is divided into 23 cities known as the special wards (the part of Tokyo outside the 23 special wards uses the nationwide terminology for cities, towns, and villages). Cities (including special wards of Tokyo), towns, and villages have elected officials. In addition, major cities are divided into wards. These wards, however, are not corporate entities. Japan is currently undergoing administrative reorganization by merging many of the cities, towns, and villages with each other. This process will reduce the number of sub-prefecture administrative regions, and is expected to cut administrative costs. The Japanese government is also considering a plan by which several groups of prefectures would merge, creating a sub-national administrative division system consisting of 9, 11, or 13 states, and giving the states more local autonomy than the current prefectures enjoy. Prefectures: |
Japan Information: Inside
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