일본의 지방자치 및 자치제도의 현황과 과제

• 영문명: The Current Situation and Challenges Faced by Local Governance and a Self-governing System in Japan
• 발행기관: 한국지방자치법학회
• 저자명: 이가와 히로시(井川 博)(Hiroshi Ikawa)
• 간행물 정보: 『지방자치법연구』17권 1호, 3~37쪽, 전체 35쪽
• 주제분류: 법학 > 민법
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2017.03.30

국문 초록

　日本では、1999年の地方分権一括法の制定、2000年代の三位一体の改革の実施、最近における義務付け․枠付けの見直しなど、1990年代以降、地方分権改革が進められてきた。分権改革の成果は、｢制度(システム) 面での成果｣、｢運用面での成果｣、｢住民の利益面での成果｣の3つに分けることができる。｢制度面での成果｣については一定の評価ができるが、国民が分権改革による｢住民の利益面での成果｣を実感しているとはいえない。自治体が、分権改革の成果を活かして｢住民の利益面での成果｣を実現するとともに、住民に分かり易い形で示すことが重要である。1990年代後半になると、市町村合併が推進され、市町村の数は、2000年4月の3,229から2016年4月には1,718へと大幅に減少した。合併の成果として、自治体運営の効率化などが評価される一方で、中心部と周辺部の格差の拡大などの問題が指摘されており、市町村合併に対する評価は分かれている。 日本の国及び自治体の長期債務残高は、1,070兆円であり、GDPの200％を超えている。そうした中で、日本の自治体は1980年代から行財政改革を推進している。その結果、自治体の職員数は、1994年の328万人から2015年には274万人と大幅に減少した。国民負担率、公務員数等を見ると、日本の政府は、欧米の政府と比較して大きな政府ではない。国及び自治体の歳出削減だけではなく、税収等の財源拡大のため抜本的な改革を早急に実施すべきである。日本の人口は、2010年に12,800万人であったが、2040年には、10,700万人、2060年には、8,700万人と大幅な減少が見込まれており、地域の活力の維持が、自治体の大きな課題となっている。また、多くの公共施設の老朽化が進む中で、各自治体は、｢公共施設等総合管理計画｣の策定を進めている。こうした中で、将来の人口減少と厳しい財政状況を踏まえ、限られた財源を自治体が投入する施策の優先順位を、住民の理解を得て決定していく必要がある。新たな大きな問題に対処するため、自治体は、これまで以上に、住民の選択に基づいて改革のあり方を決定する必要があり、住民による民主的統制の必要性が増大している。

영문 초록

Decentralization reforms, including the enactment of the Omnibus Decentralization Law of 1999, the implementation of the Trinity Reform in the 2000s, and the recent re-evaluation of imposed obligations and frameworks, have been taken forward in Japan since the 1990s. Achievements resulting from decentralization can be grouped in 3 categories, ‘achievements in systems’, ‘achievements in performance’, and ‘achievements in benefits conferred on residents’. Although the ‘achievements in systems’ have received a certain degree of approbation, it cannot be said that people realize how much ‘achievements in benefits conferred on residents’ owe to decentralization reforms. It is important that local governments actualize the ‘achievements in benefits conferred on residents’ by utilizing the results of decentralization reforms, and presenting them to local people in an easily understandable way. As a result of the promotion of municipal mergers from the late 1990s on, the number of municipalities decreased greatly from 3,229 in April 2000 to 1,718 in April 2016. Expressions of appreciation for achievements resulting from this consolidation include mention of improvements in local government management efficiency. On the other hand, attention has been drawn to problems resulting from the mergers such as increasing disparity between central and peripheral areas. It follows from this situation that an overall evaluation of the results of the municipal mergers is divided. Turning to the outstanding long-term debt of the Japanese central government and local governments, the combined debt currently amounts to 1,070 trillion yen, more than 200% of GDP. Under these circumstances, Japanese local governments have been undertaking administrative and fiscal reforms since the 1980s. A concrete example is the large decline in the number of local public employees from 3.28 million in 1994 to 2.74 million in 2015. Taking such factors as the national burden ratio and the number of public employees, when Japanese governments are compared to Euro-American governments, it cannot be said that Japan is a country of big governments. The urgent necessity now is not only a reduction of expenditures by central government and local governments, but also radical reforms aimed at increasing financial resources such as tax revenues. It is estimated that the population of Japan, which amounted to 128 million in 2010, will decrease significantly to 107 million in 2040, and to 87 million in 2060. Maintaining the vitality of regions has become a great challenge for local governments. Under circumstances in which many public facilities are showing signs of deterioration, every local government is developing a ‘Comprehensive management plan for public facilities’. In this situation, giving due consideration to the imminent population decrease and to the ongoing severe financial conditions, it is necessary, on the basis of obtaining the understanding of residents, to draw up a prioritized list of the measures to which local governments should devote their limited financial resources,. To enable them to deal with the emergence of new, large-scale problems, it is more than ever essential for local governments to determine the future of reforms on the basis of the people’s choice, and to recognize the increasing importance of the growth of democratic control by residents.

목차

Ⅰ. はじめに

Ⅱ. 地方分権改革の経過とその課題

1. 日本における地方分権改革

2. 地方分権改革の課題

Ⅲ. 市町村合併の実施と自治体の規模

1. 日本における市町村合併

2. 自治体の規模のあり方

Ⅳ. 地方財政の現状と財政制度改革

1. 地方財政の現状と自治体の行財政改革

2. 地方財政制度等の課題と改革の方向性

Ⅴ. 人口減少時代における地方自治の課題

1. 人口の減少と人口構造の変化

2. 地域の活力の維持

3. 公共施設等の適切な管理

Ⅵ. おわりに――地方自治の課題と民主的 統制

1. 住民の理解と納得の確保

2. 抜本的な改革と民主的統制

Ⅰ. 시작하며

Ⅱ. 지방분권개혁의 경과와 그 과제

1. 일본의 지방분권개혁

2. 지방분권개혁의 과제

Ⅲ. 시정촌 합병의 실시와 자치체의 규모

1. 일본의 시정촌 합병

2. 적정한 자치체의 규모

Ⅳ. 지방재정의 현황과 재정제도 개혁

1. 지방재정 현황과 자치체의 행·재정개혁

2. 지방재정제도 등의 과제와 개혁의 방향성

Ⅴ. 인구감소시대에 대한 지방자치의 과제

1. 인구감소와 인구구조의 변화

2. 지역의 활력 유지

3. 공공시설 등의 적절한 관리

Ⅵ. 마지막으로 ― 지방자치의 과제와 민주적 통제

1. 주민의 납득과 이해의 확보

2. 근본적인 개혁과 민주적 통제

참고문헌

키워드

分権 改革 市町村合併 行財政改革 人口減少 民主的統制 Decentralization reform Municipal merger Administrative and fiscal reform Population decrease Democratic control