The dilemma of local governments in public assistance administration after decentralization reform : A case study of Beppu municipal government's on-site inspection of amusement facilities.

Local governments may respond in ways that differ from national policies. Since local government officials have a great deal of discretion in the administration of public assistance, inconsistencies in the interpretation of the system with the national and prefectural governments often occur. In this paper, we focus on Beppu municipal government's on-site investigation of amusement facilities as an example of a local government conducting administrative activities that differ from the national government's view. Beppu City in Oita Prefecture has been conducting on-site investigations of pachinko and bicycle racing facilities for welfare recipients. However, the government pointed out that this administrative activity was inappropriate. As a result, the municipal government was forced to change its existing policy. Before the decentralization reform, the national government controlled the system to adjust the inconsistency of system interpretation between national and local governments. However, after the decentralization reform, it is said that the national government no longer has direct control over local governments due to the abolition of the institutional delegated administration system and notification administration, and the relationship between the national government and local governments has also changed. So how do reconcile any inconsistencies that arise in the interpretation of the system between local and national governments? This paper examines how the national government, prefectures, and municipalities have come to reconcile the inconsistencies in their interpretations of the system since the decentralization reform, and what problems have arisen. Before the decentralization reform, the national government coordinated the interpretation of the system through control. However, even though the relationship between the national government, prefectures, and municipalities has recently changed to one of equality and cooperation, the prefectures and municipalities are still trying to achieve consistency by conforming to the national government's interpretation of the system. The case of Beppu reveals that local governments have a dilemma not only with the national government but also with local residents due to the existence of a form of control by the national government after the decentralization reform.