This course aims at giving a wider view to the Japanese Prefectural/Local Government for graduate students. Succeeding two classes are paired, one is for giving a lecture, and other is for reading assignments. Since it is rare to find literatures on the Japanese prefectural/local government written in non-Japanese languages, I will use those written in Japanese. Students who take this course should be prepared to read around 30 pages of readings written in Japanese every other week. You can write a term paper either in English or Japanese. Also, you are expected to write a one-page essay on the reading assignments before 7PM, the prior day of the course, and send me by e-mail or through SOL.