ABSTRACT
The rise of referenda and the new wave of independent governors have ushered in greater contestation among the sites of governance in Japan (national, prefectural and city/village), and also enhanced local democracy. This trend of referenda and independent governors threatens to strike at the very heart of Japan's political economy: the struggle over the appropriate site of authoritative decision making, especially over massive public works. At issue are the competing modes of local governance in Japan today.
