ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book argues that changes in the national political arena, fiscal and administrative decentralization, together with broader socio-economic trends, have led to a decoupling of once closely integrated national and local party systems in Japan. It clarifies the concept of multi-level conflict between national and local governments. The book also focuses on how local partisans of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) sought upward influence even as the party's vertical integration weakened and interests across levels became de-aligned. It also demonstrates how local partisans have sought upward influence in the national arena when facing a national government of an opposition party, under conditions of multi-level incongruence. It then analyses how directly elected chief executives impact national policy processes. The book analyses to what extent decentralization reforms since 2000 have strengthened the local executives' ability and willingness to challenge national policy.
