Residents Councils
Aren’t government affairs
‘someone else’s business’?
The basic premise of democracy is that citizens and residents see politics and government as their own business. However, when society is running smoothly, the public tend to let politics and government become other people’s business. Then, politicians and government officials stop looking to the public for approval, and the opinions that get heard belong to those with the loudest voices and to the people in their circle, resulting in more unnecessary and wasteful administration. In the end, the the burden falls on the public, in the form of increased taxes, corruption, and financial collapse.
What is needed is a space where people can make local affairs their own business
What can we do to stop people from thinking of politics and government as someone else’s business? There are two fundamental conditions: 1) citizens and residents need to take an interest in politics and government and keep tabs on political matters; and 2) to make this happen, politicians and government bodies need to honestly inform citizens of the actual state of affairs. A powerful means to satisfy these conditions is the Residents Council introduced by KOSO NIPPON. At these meetings, residents discuss public affairs that they had previously left in the hands of politicians and civil servants. KOSO NIPPON has held many of these councils, and they have all produced meaningful results. We cannot keep leaving our community affairs in the hands of government—instead, we need to be a part of them. The Residents Council provides an opportunity for people to start getting involved. Bsased on what we have learned at these Residents Councils, KOSO NIPPON proposes and implements public policies that reflect the thoughts and ideas of local residents.
Two types of Residents Council
