Methods of Regional and Municipal Internationalization Policy

The 21st century will be upon us in a mere five years. In recent years, the preparation of high speed transportation networks as well as developments and preparation of sophisticated information transmission technologies have significantly increased exchanges between people and brought us closer to the realization of a borderless international community. It is believed that this trend will further develop with the passage of time. Over the past several years, a stronger yen, trading friction, and the bursting of the Japanese economic bubble have greatly affected the economies at the regional level, and brought the necessity for drastic economic structural reforms to light. In the same manner as the Japanese national economy, economic internationalization at the regional level has remained fixed upon an industrial structure devoted to trading. However, in recent years, internationalization at the administrative and citizens level, has flourished. It is the aim of this manuscript to provide discussion on the promotion of internationalization of regional administrations, especially international cooperation and contributions at the municipal level.