The title, as far as I can figure, of Friday's Yomiuri Shimbun editorial admonishing the government and the people to take the first set of recommendations of the Commission for for the Promotion of Decentralization Reforms (chihō bunken kaikaku suishin iinkai - council chairman: Itochū chairman Niwa Uichirō) as seriously as humanly possible.
Yes, there is a reason why I call it "Pravda by the Palace."
As for the recommendations of the Commission, a cursory glance indicates what seems to be way too much promotion of decentralization and damnably little commitment to reform.
Later - For an example of what I mean by "way too much promotion of decentralization..." to the possible detriment of actual reform and popular welfare, here's my take on one of the recommendations lauded in the above-mentioned editorial.
A METI acquaintance tells me that the basic policy of decentralization is to transfer responsibility to the prefectures without sufficient funding. Of course, real political power remains firmly in Tokyo.
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