KYOTO ¨C Every decade or so, it seems talk arises in Japan about relocating the functions of the central government outside the capital.
The reasons given are economic (it¡¯s cheaper outside Tokyo and hosting a government agency will improve the local economy), cultural (Japan is too Tokyo-centric and relocations will revitalize local culture), and logistical (given all the earthquakes and constant warnings about the ¡®Big One¡¯ in Tokyo, doesn¡¯t it make sense to decentralize before it¡¯s too late?).
The result has usually been a brief period of intense discussion, often accompanied by architectural plans for a gleaming new Diet building or ministry headquarters in the middle of some prefecture you¡¯ve never heard of, followed by platitude-laden speeches from politicians about the need to get the bureaucrats out of Tokyo. The discussion then ends in silence, as bureaucratic opposition and political indifference lead to inertia.
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