Did you know that the municipalities in Japan are capable of solving various problems in a practical and organized way, causing envy in other countries? Various issues faced by the Japanese population are resolved only at the municipality of each city. In this article, we will learn what the municipalities of Japan are capable of doing and what they are like.
In Japan, the word municipality has come to refer to the administration of the 47 prefectures in Japan. There are also sub-municipalities called shicho (支庁). These local municipalities found in various cities act as part of the administration at a level below the prefecture of the province.
In Brazil, each municipality usually has its own municipality, and even so, we need to travel to various places to solve problems. In the municipalities of Japan, things are usually resolved in just one location.
I want to make it clear that in this article we are not specifically talking about the municipalities known as todōfuken (都道府県). We are talking about the Local Government Offices of each city known as yakusho (役所), City Hall. In some cities, the term shicho (市庁) is used, but it is a different word from the sub-municipality, understand below:
- 都道府県 – todoufuken – The 47 municipalities of the 47 provinces;
- 役所 – yakusho – Government Office – City Hall;
- 市庁 – shichou – Municipal Hall;
- 支庁 – shichou – Submunicipalities – Branch
Basically, we can conclude that most cities in Japan have a municipality (City Hall) responsible for solving problems for the city’s residents. Other issues can only be resolved in sub-municipalities or in the 47 prefectures of the states.
What are the municipalities of Japan like?
The municipalities are usually organized with support for multiple languages, offering various services for residents and foreigners. They tend to be large, high-quality buildings, just like the hospitals in Japan. A video from our friend Caipira in Japan shows all the details of a municipality in Japan below:
As the video from the caipira showed, there are various departments (部署) in a municipality, such as:
- Department of Policy Measures Promotion;
- Department of General Affairs;
- Department of Life, Culture, and Sports;
- Department of Cooperation with Residents’ Work;
- Department of Health and Welfare;
- Department of Economy & Construction;
- Department of Education;
- Department of Industry;
- Department of Retirement;
- Department of Residents;
- Department of Policy and Planning of the International Affairs Division;
- Department of Longevity Care;
- General Support Center for Social Welfare;
- Department of Social Security;
- Chamber and meeting room of councilors and mayors;
- Fire service;
- Department of Human Resources;
- Education Council;
- Department of Transportation;
- Agriculture Committee;
- Hospital Division;
- Department of Water;
- Urban Planning Section;
In a municipality in Japan, you can resolve issues related to your visa, citizenship, retirement, insurance, taxes, and even search for a lost relative. You can also obtain documents, register marriages, births, and even speak with a lawyer.
It seems that Japan was smart and placed all government departments in one building. We don’t need to go to a notary, chamber, court, social security office, and other different places to solve a simple problem.
How to find a municipality in Japan?
Japanese cities are very close to each other; some cities are small villages with less than 100 inhabitants. Traveling to a local municipality, sub-municipality, or provincial municipality is easier and more practical. Still, some small cities have at least a small office to resolve local issues.
To find out the location of your city’s municipality, the hours, and the services it offers, just search for your city’s official website. Searching for municipality will make your search more difficult, as this term is more commonly used to refer to the municipalities of the 47 prefectures and the todōfuken. If you live in a capital, it will be easier to find it and resolve issues.
Have you had the chance to visit a municipality in Japan? What was your experience with the service and problem-solving? We would love to see your comment and sharing. To finish, I will leave two more videos about the municipalities in Japan for you to watch:
- Division of Japan – Provinces, municipalities, and cities
- Government benefits help or hinder the country?
Leave a Reply