ABSTRACT
In this chapter I provide concrete examples of how state and society are linked in Japan. After outlining the basic structures of state and their rationalizing functions, I examine the bureaucratic ethos that permeates Japan’s political system. Then, I discuss how “para-state organizations” occupy an ambiguous area between private and public and related issues. I also examine the role of “advisory councils” and how the state penetrates society through “administrative guidance.” Finally, I examine how the bureaucratic center attempts to reign in local government through rationalizing policies.
