Niseko Town Basic Ordinance for Town Development

This is an explanation page of Niseko Town Basic Ordinance for Town Development (Japan's first self-government basic ordinance) that came into force in April 2001.
Niseko Town, as a local government based on residents' autonomy, lists in the regulations the basic items for promoting rich autonomy in the future.

Niseko Town Basic Ordinance for Town Development Pocket Edition

In the town, the articles of "Niseko Town Basic Ordinance for Town Development" and their explanations are posted, and pocket-sized booklets that are easy to carry when attending "town development townspeople lectures" and "town development round-table conferences", as well as other briefings and meetings. creating. In addition to distributing to all households in the town, we are also distributing to households moving in.
Note: We do not sell.

Outline of ordinance

"Mini-Constitution" of Town-Ordinances related to all town development in Niseko Town(Basic ordinances for self-government)

This ordinance is a townspeople common rule to advance Niseko's town planning. This rule is for us to act as a protagonist (town) of townspeople based on the spirit of the law such as the Constitution of Japan and the Local Autonomy Law.
"Town development" in the name of the ordinance is not only visible aspects of "hard" such as roads, water supply and sewerage improvement, city landscape formation, but also visualization of mechanisms such as information sharing and residents participation It also includes the aspect of "soft". From that point on, it is my desire to develop "living" that the townspeople themselves can be proud of themselves, and that is included in "town development".

Two pillars - "Information sharing" and "participation by residents"

The important foundation of town development is "information sharing". Information concerning town development is the common property of the townspeople. If the townspeople do not share information on town development, participation by residents also makes no sense. Therefore, it is the minimum necessary for the town to actively fulfill its accountability on its own.
In this ordinance, we regard "information sharing" and "participation of residents" as the same for both cars, and as one thing, think that it is an important principle for town planning. At the same time, we will strive to protect the fundamental rights related to these.

Practice of autonomy ~ The subjective behavior of townspeople and the foundation of autonomy

In Niseko Town, "Town Development" is considered a form of "autonomous" activity in which the people of Niseko Town think and act of their own accord to improve the town. We believe that this learned habit can be achieved by openness and the sharing of information. (Quoted from preamble)
In this preamble, I feel the reaction of "autonomy". The ultimate goal is to develop this autonomy into more real autonomy. To that end, we use this ordinance as our own tools (tools) as the basic ordinance for autonomy, and act on our own initiative as a "citizen" on our own initiative. Among them, I think that participation in town planning of townspeople protects autonomy and promotes autonomy.
In addition, we believe that the development of self-government will contribute to the living of townspeople and the development of economy and industry. According to various statistical surveys, the base of self-government is considered to have greatly influenced the background of the increasing population of Niseko Town the increase in entrepreneurship and employment.

Raising ordinance - development of autonomy

This ordinance will be reviewed at least every four years. We completed a primary review in December 2005 and a secondary review in March 2010.
The way of thinking surrounding the information sharing and the participation of residents and the social situation are constantly changing. New ideas and frameworks for autonomy are also born. While constantly capturing the movements of the era in Japan and abroad, it is necessary to think about the future one step ahead. In that sense, we position this ordinance as a regulation that the townspeople grow up in the future. We can review and review the autonomy direction and various systems at each timing of regulatory review.

Materials such as texts, handbooks, reference books

Ordinance text

Please see from the example below.
Niseko Town Regulations Part 1 General Regulations-Chapter 1

Guidebook that explains the contents of ordinance

You can see the full text of the ordinance and its explanation. (After the secondary revision in March 2010)

Structure drawing of ordinance

You can see the structure diagram showing the overall picture of the ordinance. (After the secondary revision in March 2010)

Courses such as establishment of ordinance, amendment

Books dealing with ordinances

"Is the Basic Autonomy Ordinance Alive!?" 10 Years of Niseko Town Basic Ordinance for Town Development

Shigeo Kisa, Kenya Katayama, Akira Natsuka = ​​edition Publisher Public company public friend first edition May, 2012
  • 10 years from the establishment of the ordinance. Does the spirit, institution and mechanism of the ordinance continue to move? Looking back over the past decade, one book that considers the meaning and value of the Autonomy Basic Ordinance

“The Constitution of Our Town” Challenge of Niseko Town

Shigeo Kisa, Seiji Osaka = editing publisher Japan economic review company first edition April 2003
  • Population 4,600 people. A small town in Hokkaido enacted the autonomous basic regulation for the first time in the whole country. Supported by collaboration and exchanges, the process towards residents autonomy continues. (From book belt)

Main provisions (after partial revision in March 2010)

Basic principles of town planning

  • Principles of information sharing
  • Right to access information
  • Administrative accountability
  • Principle of residents' participation (guarantee of participation of townspeople in each process of planning, implementation and evaluation of town work)

Promotion of information sharing

  • Clarification of decision making, institutional security for information sharing

Promote participation in town planning

  • Protection of the right to participate in community planning
  • Children's participation rights protection
  • Responsibilities of townspeople (behavior from a comprehensive perspective)

Fostering a community

Role and duty of Congress (added by primary revision)

  • Decision-making organization, Congress as a voting body
  • Congress by information sharing and community participation
  • Voluntary, self-sustaining extracurricular activities
  • Establishment of policy conference
  • Policy advocacy, the role of lawmakers focusing on legislative activities

Administrative roles and responsibilities

  • Ownership and other oaths at the time of appointment of a special position
  • Promotion of policy legislation (added by primary revision)
  • Establishment of crisis management system (added by primary revision)
  • Government administration of townspeople public offering
  • Obligation to respond to opinions, requests, complaints, etc. and protection of townspeople's rights
  • Roles of administrative staff as professional staff (responsible roles of each staff)
  • Compliance with laws (added by primary revision)

Planning process

  • Town participation in the planning process and clear information
  • Publication of the result of the adoption / rejection of the submitted opinion and the reason
  • Publication of plan progress situation (added by primary revision)

finance

  • Ensure transparency in budgeting process
  • Financial results useful for evaluating work
  • Mayor's view points to fiscal situation

Evaluation

  • Comprehensive evaluation including administrative evaluation, staff evaluation
  • Evaluation by town mobilization (added by primary revision)

Townspeople voting system

  • The Mayor announces the handling of the voting result in advance

Collaboration

  • Cooperation with Niseko fans, cooperation with neighboring local governments, wide-area cooperation according to purpose, international partnership

Participation in townspeople in proceedings to establish ordinance

Position of basic regulations for community development

  • Respect this ordinance to the maximum when establishing town planning system by other ordinance

Review the regulations once every four years

Specific system for town planning, initiatives

Information sharing ~ Securing the transparency of the administration and accountability of the town

  • Hijacking box, "My opinion"
  • Information dissemination by media mix
  • Public information hearing review meeting
  • Occupation oath at the inauguration of a special position (town mayor etc)

Resident participation ~ For making towns to act on their own

  • Children's Congress
  • Town development toku
  • Community support system (subsidy system)
  • Various committees

Inquiries regarding information on this page

Planning & Environment Division, Business Planning Division
TEL:0136-44-2121
FAX:0136-44-3500