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Handbook for Utilization of Regional Revitalization Resources

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Handbook for Utilization of Regional Revitalization Resources Handbook for Utilization of Regional Revitalization Resources For regional management in developing countries October 2017 Governance Knowledge Management Network IL Industrial Development and Public Policy Department, JR Japan International Cooperation Agency 17-113 Handbook for Utilization of Regional Revitalization Resources For regional management in developing countries October 2017 Governance Knowledge Management Network Industrial Development and Public Policy Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency <Photographs on the front cover> (from upper left) Shimane: Bountiful sea surrounding Ama-cho Nagano: Participatory road improvement in Shimojo-mura Kochi: “Towa” roadside station in Shimanto-cho Shimane: “Hata Market” operated by Hata community council in Unnan City Ishikawa: A cafe at Saien-ji Temple (Bussi-en), a social welfare facility open to communities Miyagi: A training participant from Aceh, Indonesia receiving fishery training from fishermen in Higashimatsushima City Kumamoto: Studying the grassland environment in the Aso Region This handbook is created based on outputs of the project research: “Survey on the utilization of regional revitalization resources from the viewpoint of local governance” (entrusted to Mets Research & Planning Inc. and IC Net Limited) Introduction In the wake of decentralization introduced in many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America in the late 1990s as a part of public sector reforms, many donors have provided assistance for capacity development of local governments. However, the reality is that local governments in developing countries still have insufficient human resources and budget and have difficulty in providing adequate administrative services. Therefore, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has provided local government assistance for the development of administrative officers and the improvement of their capacity for effectively and efficiently providing public services, through participatory planning and plan implementation. On the other hand, with progress in recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake and “regional revitalization” in Japan, there are increasing cases of regional promotion and development that are not always carried out under the initiative of government but through collaboration among the public sector, private sector and community residents. These viewpoints are extremely important in strengthening “local governance” and also relate to assistance for local administration (local governance) in developing countries to be provided by JICA. Against this backdrop, we started a project research titled “Survey on the utilization of regional revitalization resources from the viewpoint of local governance” in August 2016, through regional revitalization efforts of Japan, with the aim of organizing and systematizing useful organizational and human resources for supporting the strengthening of local administrations and local governance in developing countries and examining methods for utilizing the resources so that a developing country and Japan build a win-win relationship. With the cooperation of not only the Industrial Development and Public Policy Department but also issue-based departments, Domestic Strategy and Partnership Department, Secretariat of Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, and other domestic organizations, the project research compiled lessons for applying regional revitalization efforts of Japan to assist developing countries. We hope that this handbook, one of the outputs of the project research, will be widely used by JICA headquarters, overseas offices and domestic organizations, as well as experts/consultants engaged in technical cooperation in developing countries in order to effectively implement projects using regional revitalization resources of Japan. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to all relevant persons inside and outside the Agency who cooperated with the implementation of this project research. October 2017 Toshiyuki Nakamura Director of Industrial Development and Public Policy Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency Table of contents How to use this handbook Section 1 Regional revitalization resource utilization guide .............................. 1 Introductory chapter Why can regional revitalization resources of Japan be applied to assist developing countries? ..........................................................................................1 Chapter 1 How to apply regional revitalization resources of Japan to developing countries ........................................................................................................................................4 1-1. Lessons learned from regional revitalization resources to be applied to developing countries.............................................................................................................4 1-2. Points for applying regional revitalization resources to developing countries ............................................................................................................................. 22 Chapter 2 Considerations in applying regional revitalization resources to developing countries .................................................................................................................... 24 2-1. Considerations in implementing a project using regional revitalization resources ............................................................................................................................. 24 2-2. Building a win-win relationship between a developing country and Japan ........................ 31 Section 2 Case sheet for regional revitalization anlaysis in Japan ................. 41 [List of the outlines of the seven cases] ....................................................................................... 41 [Lessons learned from regional revitalization resources and learning points of the seven cases] ........................................................................................................................ 42 1. Unnan City, Shimane ................................................................................................................... 45 2. Shimojo-mura, Nagano ................................................................................................................ 64 3. Ama-cho, Shimane ....................................................................................................................... 80 4. Shimanto-cho, Kochi ................................................................................................................. 103 5. Hakusan City, Kanazawa City, Komatsu City, and Noto Region (Bussi-en), Ishikanwa ................................................................................................................................... 128 6. Higashimatsushima City, Miyagi ............................................................................................... 150 7. Aso Region, Kumamoto ............................................................................................................. 168 Reference materials .............................................................................................. 188 List of domestic cases related to regional development through cooperation and collaboration (a total of 47 cases) .............................................................................................. 189 List of members of the task force of the project research “Survey on utilization of regional revitalization resources from the viewpoint of local governance” ............................... 201 List of persons cooperating with the project research “Survey on utilization of regional revitalization resources from the viewpoint of local governance” ............................... 203 How to use this handbook How to use this handbook Purpose of this handbook Along with the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake, efforts for “regional revitalization” have been made throughout Japan. This “Handbook for Utilization of Regional Revitalization Resources” answers the question “Can the regional revitalization efforts of Japan be applied to and utilized for assistance to developing countries as part of international cooperation provided by Japan and its local governments?” Japanese local governments’ knowledge and techniques on water service and waste disposal have been utilized for assistance to developing countries. However, this handbook focuses on “management for carrying out activities for solving regional issues through collaboration among various regional actors.” Based on the above, this handbook was created for the following purpose: Targeting JICA staff, relevant persons, experts and development consultants engaged in technical cooperation in developing countries, this handbook introduces lessons learned from regional revitalization resources (regional revitalization projects of Japan and organizations/personnel implementing the projects) to be utilized for solving regional issues of developing countries in which they are engaged, how to deliver the resources while adjusting them to the context of developing countries, and considerations to be given in making requests to relevant organizations and personnel. “Technical cooperation” provided above mainly refers to technical cooperation projects and training in Japan, but projects that involve Japanese local organizations (local governments, NPOs and private sector, etc.), such as volunteer projects and JICA
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