Abstract
This review essay examines three Japanese-language books on subnational politics: prefectural policy-making, the politics of municipal mergers, and electoral reform. It argues that local politics is essential to understanding contemporary Japanese politics, identifies limits in the books' arguments, and sets out questions for further research on national-subnational relations, local electoral incentives, and municipal consolidation.
Citation
Horiuchi, Yusaku. 2009. “Understanding Japanese Politics from a Local Perspective..” International Political Science Review 30(5): 565–573. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512109352292