Saitama Prefecture at a Glance

1.SaitamaPrefectureanditsMunicipalities

SaitamaisaninlandprefecturesituatedonthenorthernborderofJapan's capital.ApproximatelyonethirdofSaitamaismountainous.Theremaining areaisflatandwas historically active in forestry and agriculture.

 SinceWorldWarII,industrializationandagreatincreaseinpopulationhave changedthefaceofSaitama.Aslarge-scaleindustrialparkswerebuiltin Omiya(presentlySaitamaCity),Fukaya,Kawagoe,Sayama,andother cities,Saitamaevolvedfromanagriculturalprefectureintoonewhose economicactivityisbasedonindustry.

Asaresultofthischange,andSaitama'sproximitytoTokyo,residential developmentshavethrivedthroughouttheprefecture.Saitama'spopulation surpassedthe7millionmarkin2002,morethanthreetimesthe1950figureof2.14 million.

Saitamacurrentlyhas63municipalities(asofApril1,2012)thatcooperate withtheSaitamaPrefectural Governmenttomanagetheregion’ssocialand economicissues.

(1)LocalGovernment

AllregionalgovernmentsinJapanareoperatedaccordingtotheLocal AutonomyLaw,enactedundertheJapaneseConstitution.TheJapaneselocal governmentsystemconsistsof47prefecturalgovernmentsand1725municipal governments(asofApril1,2012).Governors,mayorsand membersoflocal assembliesaredirectlyelectedbythepeopletheyserve.

TheSaitamaPrefecturalGovernmentandits63municipalities(39cities,23 townsand1village)playveryimportantrolesindevelopingeachrespectiveregionandmaintainingthesecurityoftheircitizens. Theyareactivelyinvolvedinpeoples’everydaylivesthroughmaintenance of local residents’ familyregistrationledger;administeringnurseryschools, kindergartens,elementaryandjuniorhighschools;andmanaginglibrariesand citizens’halls.Theyareresponsibleforwasteandsewagedisposalas well as for theconstructionandmaintenanceofpublicsanitationfacilities.Saitama andits municipalitiesalsoconstructandmaintainpublicroadsandparksandrunthe policeandfireservices.

(2)RelationshipbetweenSaitamaPrefectureand its Municipalities

Theprefectureanditsmunicipalitiesaremutuallyindependententities;the administrativerelationshipbetweenthemisnotoneofsuperiorandsubordinate.Thescopeoftheirfunctionsdiffersbecauseofthedifferenceintheirbasicnature.Whilethe prefectureisaregionalpublicentitycoveringawideareathatincludesthemunicipalities,eachmunicipalityisabasicunitoflocalgovernmentintrinsicallyconnectedtopeople’sdailylives.Theprefecturegives eachmunicipalityguidanceandadvicefromawiderregionalperspective.Someprefecturalbusinessinvolvesgrantingapprovalstomunicipalities.

(3)Prefectural Office

SaitamaPrefecturalOffice3-15-1Takasago,Urawa-ku,
Saitama-shi 〒330-9301Access:10-minutewalkfromthewestexitofUrawaStationTEL.048-824-2111URL: http://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp

OfficehoursareMondaythroughFriday(excludingnationalholidaysandDec. 29-Jan. 3) from8:30amto5:15pm.

2. Saitama Statistics