EROPA Local Government Center

The EROPA Local Government Center was established on 1 October 1964 at the Local Autonomy College of the then Ministry of Home Affairs in Tokyo, Japan. The establishment of the Center is due to the special request of the Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA) during the 2^nd General Assembly held in Bangkok in 1962. Since the establishment of the Center, the Group Training Course in Local Government is held once a year under the auspices of the EROPA Local Government Center and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Other activities of the Center include the publication of the Japan Comparative Study of Public Administration series, administrative and academic mutual exchange among EROPA members, and surveying and conducting research on local government systems.

At present, the Center is housed at the Local Autonomy College (Jichi-Daigakko).

The Group Training Course in Local Government: At a Glance

The Group Training Course in Local Government is an advanced training program set up to provide the knowledge of theory and practice of local administration for government officials working mainly in the EROPA region. The training course runs for two to three months and is attended by ten or more participants.

 
Rationale 

       The rationale of the training course is “to establish sound government local government system,        such as local public administration, finance and personnel system, which is regarded to be essential for stable civil life in each country. In addition, local governments play important roles in implementing agricultural development, industrialization and various new policies coping with  environmental change. In this sense, it is very important to learn local government system and its functions.


Purpose

        The purpose of the course is to contribute to the development and improvement of local government administration methodology in developing countries through the introduction of the roles, systems, and functions of Japanese Local Government and provision of opportunities to exchange ideas and information among the participants.

Objectives

       By the end of the training program the participants are expected to:

1.       obtain general knowledge about the history, present system, functions and operations of local government in Japan;

2.       comprehend the local public personnel and tax / finance systems in Japan;

3.       understand the outline of national policies relating to local governments in Japan;

4.       recognize the role of local governments in the process of regional development; and

5.       learn functions and roles of local governments from comparative study of participating countries.

Curriculum

        The following major subjects and activities are covered in the course:

 1.       Lectures

Purpose: To understand the local Government in Japan

 A.      Local Public Administration

i.   Local Government System

ii.  Local Public Personnel Administration

iii. History and Current Issues on Local Government

B.     Local Public Finance

i.   Regional Development in Japan and Role of Local Government

ii.  Rural Development and Local Government

iii. Urban Policy and Local Government

iv. International Exchange by Local Authorities

 2.       Comparative Report Writing

Purpose: To deepen participants’ comprehension in the local government in the aspect of the chosen theme by comparing their respective countries’ systems with the Japanese tutorial system. Examples of themes are:

A.       Local Public Administration

B.      Local Public Finance

C.     Regional Developing Policy of Local Government

3.       Discussion with Japanese trainees at the Local Autonomy College

Purpose: To exchange views and opinions about the problems in the field of local government that exist in the concerned countries.

4.       Observation Trips

Purpose: To gain a clearer understanding about the local government in Japan.

A.       Important institutions of public administration such as the Ministry of Home Affairs

B.      Other significant facilities for local public administration development

 5.       Field study in local governments

                Purpose: To gain first hand experience in the actual activities and functions of local
                governments through the field training in typical local governments. Activities under
this category include:

A.       Orientation

B.      Field study in local governments

                        C.     Review seminar 

Note: Every participant is required to submit a final report to the Local Autonomy College by the end of the course. The report should consist of about 15 sheets of A4 size paper. The theme of the report is to be decided by each participant in consultation with the tutor. In addition, each participant is requested to fill in the Daily Evaluation Sheets for the Final  Evaluation and submit it to JICA by the end of the course.

Methodology

Instruction Method

        The course will be conducted in the form of lectures, discussions, comparative report writing, observation trip, field study and so on. 

Language

The course is generally conducted in English.

Training Institution

 The course is held at the EROPA Local Government Center, Local Autonomy College. 

Certificates

 A.     Participants who have successfully completed the course will be awarded a certificate by JICA.

   B.   Participants who have successfully completed the course and have submitted  the  final    report by the end of the course will be awarded a certificate by the Local Autonomy College.

Qualifications

Applicants should be:

1. Nominated by their government in accordance with the procedure below.
2. Be a university or college graduate (or equivalent) with occupational experience of more than seven years in the civil service relating to local public administration.
3. Be between thirty (30) and forty (40) years old.
4. Be a civil service personnel holding responsible government position (managerial or supervisory) and be a promising candidate for the post of top management in the local government or that o senior management in the central government in the future.
5. Be a person having sufficient command of spoken and written English,
6. In good health, both physically, and mentally, to undergo the training, pregnancy is a disqualifying condition for participation in the Course.

Notice: Applicants are requested to submit the Medical History Questionnaire together with the                         Nomination Form.

Procedure for Application

1. A government desiring to nominate applicants for the course should fill in and forward five (5) copies of the Nomination Form for each applicant to the JICA office of the Embassy of Japan within the date set by the organizer.
2. The JICA office (or the Embassy of Japan) will inform the applying government whether or not the nominee's application has been accepted by a date set by the organizer.
   
   
   

Publications

Since 1984, the EROPA Local Government Center has been publishing a series of "Comparative Studies of Public Administration," a collection of academic papers on public administrative systems mainly in EROPA nations. Through publication of these Comaparative Studies, the EROPA Local Government Center has provided valuable information for EROPA member states. To date, there are nine volumes published under  the series. These are summarized in the following table.

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Contact Information

EROPA Local Government Center
The Local Autonomy College
10-1 Midori-cho, Tachikawa-shi,
Tokyo  190-8581
Japan
Tel:         81-42-540-4500
Fax:        81-42-540-4504                             
Website: http://www.soumu.go.jp/jitidai/index.htm