PART I GENERAL PROVISIONS
(Purpose)
Article 1.
The purpose of this Law is to classify local public bodies, to lay down the outlines of their organization and operations, and to regulate the basic relationship between the State and such bodies in accordance with the principle of local autonomy, in order to assure each of them democratic and efficient administration as well as sound development.
(Roles of Local Public Bodies and The State)
Article 1-2.
The task of a local public body shall be to promote the welfare of its residents, for which purpose it shall carry out a wide range of tasks in the autonomous and comprehensive performance of local public administration.
2.
In order to accomplish the purpose of the preceding paragraph, the role of the State shall in the main be to attend to matters relating to its position as a nation in the international community; matters concerning basic rules on national activities or local autonomy that should be standardised nationally; or matters concerning policies and programs to be implemented on a national level or from a national viewpoint. As a rule administrative matters close to the people shall as far as possible be referred to local public bodies, so that there is an appropriate sharing of roles with local public bodies. In the working out of rules and the implementation of programs relating to local public bodies, the autonomy and independence of the local public bodies must be fully exercised.
(Classification of Local Public Bodies)
Article 1-3.
Local public bodies shall be classified into ordinary and special local public bodies.
2.
To (metropolis),Do (district),Fu (urban prefecture) or Ken (rural prefecture) and cities, towns or villages shall come under ordinary local public bodies.
3.
The special wards, unions of local public bodies, property wards and local development corporations shall come under special local public bodies.
(Corporate Status and Affairs of Local Public Bodies)
Article 2.
Each local public body shall be considered as juristic person.
2.
Each ordinary local public body shall perform its own community affairs and the other affairs developing upon itself by law or by cabinet order duly authorized by law.
