Ishin no Kai leader Hirofumi Yoshimura
The word "Ishin" means complete renewal or reform. Toru Hashimoto, founder of the political party, Nippon Ishin no Kai, likely chose the name to convey its ambition to fundamentally remake Japan. Ishin is a spirit, now echoed in the party's coalition with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's new administration.
However, for most of the public, "Ishin" immediately evokes the Meiji Restoration (Meiji Ishin), a historical turning point. As a result, when the party speaks of "reform," many voters are left wondering: reform of what, and in what direction?
The term "Meiji Restoration" refers specifically to the political transformation from the feudal domain system (bakuhan taisei, in Japanese) to a centralized government — in other words, a total national overhaul.
The Unchanged Centralized State
During the Edo period (1603-1868), Japan functioned as a collection of over 300 domains, each with its own judicial, legislative, and administrative authority. It was a decentralized bakuhan structure. The Meiji period (1868-1912) replaced this with a centralized system under the Meiji Constitution, concentrating all three powers in Kyoto under the national government.
Even after the postwar constitution, Japan retained this centralized structure. Hashimoto's proposed Osaka Metropolis Plan aimed to eliminate the inefficiencies caused by overlapping prefectural and municipal jurisdictions, stemming from this centralization. It reflected a philosophy of local decentralization.
That is why I believe Nippon Ishin no Kai should rename itself the Localized Japan Party.
Time for Local Autonomy
In reality, the centralized system that has existed since the Meiji era no longer fits modern Japan. Urban centers with dense populations and rural areas facing depopulation cannot be governed by the same rules.
While municipalities have mayors and local assemblies, the laws they pass are subordinate to national legislation. As a result, local governments must constantly petition the central bureaucracy in Tokyo. To become effective, the structure needs to change to allow true local autonomy. Crucial areas, such as policing, education, healthcare, and waste management, require local understanding. Yet authority rests with officials dispatched from the center, whose loyalties often remain with the ministries that sent them.
If local governments were empowered and motivated to compete and innovate, Japan as a whole would grow stronger. Citizens would likely take greater interest in their regional politics, elect capable local leaders, and move toward genuine, rather than symbolic, self-governance.
Today, Japan guarantees its citizens a basic standard of living. But to address more specific local problems and revitalize communities, authority and responsibility must rest closer to the people themselves.
Governing top-down is not effective for Japan. It is time to pivot toward decentralization. For example, in the United States, each state exercises its own legislative, administrative, and judicial powers. Germany also practices a strong federal system, where states have substantial authority.
Toward True Reform
Whether Japan should adopt a US-style federalism or a German model is beyond my expertise as a layperson. But in any case, the time has come for Japan to move toward local decentralization.
"To remake Japan anew" is a noble ambition. Yet the name "Ishin" alone offers little clarity about the party's actual goals. Now that it has entered a coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party, its direction appears even more opaque to the public. At this rate, it risks being quietly absorbed into the LDP.
Therefore, I strongly recommend that Ishin urgently change its name to the Localized Japan Party.
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Author: Nanae Hasegawa
