Effectiveness and Challenges in Local Self-Governance: Multifunctional Autonomy in Japan

Community organizing with government support, termed local self-governance (LSG), is a form of policy decentralization for community wellbeing through solutions tailored to local issues. One form of LSG is multifunctional autonomy, in which citizens can comprehensively manage their communities with...

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Main Authors: Ryuichi Ohta, Yoshinori Ryu, Daisuke Kataoka, Chiaki Sano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-01-01
Series:International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/2/574
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spelling doaj-20ea6a27447741a3912739998a67a1222021-01-13T00:01:26ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1661-78271660-46012021-01-011857457410.3390/ijerph18020574Effectiveness and Challenges in Local Self-Governance: Multifunctional Autonomy in JapanRyuichi Ohta0Yoshinori Ryu1Daisuke Kataoka2Chiaki Sano3Community Care, Unnan City Hospital, Unnan City 699-1221, Shimane, JapanCommunity Care, Unnan City Hospital, Unnan City 699-1221, Shimane, JapanUnnan Public Health Center, Unnan City 699-1311, Shimane, JapanDepartment of Community Medicine Management, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Matsue 693-8501, Shimane, JapanCommunity organizing with government support, termed local self-governance (LSG), is a form of policy decentralization for community wellbeing through solutions tailored to local issues. One form of LSG is multifunctional autonomy, in which citizens can comprehensively manage their communities with government support. This study clarified the effect of multifunctional autonomy on healthy life expectancy by assessing related advantages and challenges in rural Japanese communities, using a mixed-methods approach. Disability-free life expectancy from 65 years (DFLE-65) was assessed to compare healthy life expectancies between two rural Japanese cities (with/without multifunctional autonomy). Comparisons revealed better DFLE-65 only among older men in a city with multifunctional autonomy. A cost-effectiveness analysis investigated the relationship between the budget and DFLE-65 change using questionnaire data. Cost-effectiveness analysis of multifunctional autonomy indicated 61,147 yen/DFLE-65. Thematic analysis revealed that multifunctional autonomy created new roles for older men, improving community relationships. However, sustainable multifunctional autonomy in LSG communities may be hindered by a generally aging society, generation gap, and lack of mutual understanding between rural communities and local governments. To ensure the sustainability of multifunctional autonomy, collaborations between local communities and governments and among various generations are critical.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/2/574agingcommunity worklocal self-governmentmultifunctional autonomyruralempowerment
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Ryuichi Ohta
Yoshinori Ryu
Daisuke Kataoka
Chiaki Sano
spellingShingle Ryuichi Ohta
Yoshinori Ryu
Daisuke Kataoka
Chiaki Sano
Effectiveness and Challenges in Local Self-Governance: Multifunctional Autonomy in Japan
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
aging
community work
local self-government
multifunctional autonomy
rural
empowerment
author_facet Ryuichi Ohta
Yoshinori Ryu
Daisuke Kataoka
Chiaki Sano
author_sort Ryuichi Ohta
title Effectiveness and Challenges in Local Self-Governance: Multifunctional Autonomy in Japan
title_short Effectiveness and Challenges in Local Self-Governance: Multifunctional Autonomy in Japan
title_full Effectiveness and Challenges in Local Self-Governance: Multifunctional Autonomy in Japan
title_fullStr Effectiveness and Challenges in Local Self-Governance: Multifunctional Autonomy in Japan
title_full_unstemmed Effectiveness and Challenges in Local Self-Governance: Multifunctional Autonomy in Japan
title_sort effectiveness and challenges in local self-governance: multifunctional autonomy in japan
publisher MDPI AG
series International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
issn 1661-7827
1660-4601
publishDate 2021-01-01
description Community organizing with government support, termed local self-governance (LSG), is a form of policy decentralization for community wellbeing through solutions tailored to local issues. One form of LSG is multifunctional autonomy, in which citizens can comprehensively manage their communities with government support. This study clarified the effect of multifunctional autonomy on healthy life expectancy by assessing related advantages and challenges in rural Japanese communities, using a mixed-methods approach. Disability-free life expectancy from 65 years (DFLE-65) was assessed to compare healthy life expectancies between two rural Japanese cities (with/without multifunctional autonomy). Comparisons revealed better DFLE-65 only among older men in a city with multifunctional autonomy. A cost-effectiveness analysis investigated the relationship between the budget and DFLE-65 change using questionnaire data. Cost-effectiveness analysis of multifunctional autonomy indicated 61,147 yen/DFLE-65. Thematic analysis revealed that multifunctional autonomy created new roles for older men, improving community relationships. However, sustainable multifunctional autonomy in LSG communities may be hindered by a generally aging society, generation gap, and lack of mutual understanding between rural communities and local governments. To ensure the sustainability of multifunctional autonomy, collaborations between local communities and governments and among various generations are critical.
topic aging
community work
local self-government
multifunctional autonomy
rural
empowerment
url https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/2/574
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