Chapter III Unions of Local Public Bodies
Section I. General Provisions
(Types of Union, and their Establishment)
Article 284.
Unions of local public bodies shall be classified into partial unions, wide-area unions, Total Unions and clerical unions.
2.
With the exception of the case provided for in paragraph 6, local public bodies or special wards may agree by consultation and with the approval of the Minister of Home Affairs in the case of a To, Do, Fu or Ken or of the governor of the To, Do, Fu or Ken in the case of other local public bodies, to establish a partial union of local public bodies for the purpose of managing jointly a part of the affairs of the local public bodies. In such case, if all the functions under the authority of an executive organ of a local public body which is a member of the union are transferred to the union, that executive organ shall cease to exist at the time of the establishment of the partial union.
3.
Ordinary local public bodies and special wards may, with regard to those affairs which are considered suitable for wide area management, agree with the approval of the Minister of Home Affairs or the governor of the To, Do, Fu or Ken as outlined in the preceding paragraph, to establish a wide-area union, for the purpose of drawing up a general wide area plan (hereafter referred to as the "Wide-Area plan"), implementing the necessary liaison and coordination for the implementation of the Wide-area plan and the administration of its affairs, and also in order to implement a part of the affairs in a generally well-planned manner. In such case, the provisions of the last sentence of the same paragraph shall apply mutatis mutandis.
4.
The Minister of Home Affairs shall consult with the chiefs of the national administrative agencies concerned before giving the approval mentioned in the preceding paragraph.
5.
Town or villages may, when there is especial necessity, agree by consultation and with the approval of the governor of the To, Do, Fu or Ken to establish a Total Union for the purpose of managing all their affairs jointly. In such case, the assemblies and executive organs of each town or village within the Total Union, shall cease to exist at the time of the establishment of the Total Union.
6.
Town or villages may, when there is especial necessity, agree by consultation and with the approval of the governor of the To, Do, Fu or Ken to establish a clerical union for the purpose of managing their clerical affairs jointly.
