United Nations Public Service Awards Case Studies

Osaka prefecture has now 8.8 million people through the time when the people who moved in the area increased along with the extensive housing development. In the wake of this population growth, a trend of nuclear families has been continued and elderly couples and single-person households of seniors are increasing while the family number of younger generations gets larger. In addition, life styles and the concept of values among citizens have been diversified, personal consciousness and individualism become obvious and our environments of urban areas are extremely changing. In this situation, communities supporting our district, such as mutual cooperation and linkage among residents, are getting weak. Therefore, there are quite a few people who feel anxious about child rearing and their old ages. Concerning the crime-prevention and the fire protection in the district, weakening of those systems cannot be denied. Those problems have been the resident’s needs which cannot be satisfied by only the existing administrative services and structures.

What is the initiative about? (the solution)
As a result, we could establish systems that encourage continued participation of the residents who feel the benefit and the resulting improvement of such projects. In one example, we planned a project (“Making to lawn in public primary school”) focusing on elementary schools in certain areas. In this project, both residents and schools cooperated in promoting grass planting on school grounds. Consequently, not only did more than 20% of elementary schools in Osaka Prefecture now have greener ground, but also local communities were revived with PTAs at their core through daily maintenance activities of the grass grounds. Another example project (“Network for dementia support”) was implemented in Fujiidera City, which, faced with the increase of the elderly population, was to do with the issue of the quality of life of dementia patients and their families. We offered a range of service activities, such as education programs to promote understanding of dementia, training workshops for supporters and volunteers to care for and watch over patients, and the provision of support for patient supporters’ initial activities. As a result, a resident-centered regional network has been formed, in which the whole community is committed to supporting patients with dementia, and which has been established as the Osaka model. The last example is concerning the “Adopt System”. The beautification campaign of social infrastructure in the region such as roads, rivers and parks has been done in cooperation with residents, public administrations, local businesses and other related organizations. As a result, an affectionate environment for the region has been deepened and the framework of new partnership was created with participation of approximately 500 organizations and 50 thousand people.

Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
Osaka Prefectural Government are now working on 43 projects in 9 areas such as “community” “Safety and relief” “education” “ welfare” “Health promotion” “Greening” “Environmental protection” “City planning” “Local commerce” to revitalize the power of local communities. The projects（“Making to lawn in public primary school” “Network for dementia support” “Adopt System”） which are significantly effective among them were found to have certain points in common to be successful. It is that the office staff in charge of the project visited the community themselves, facing the thoughts of the people and various relationships and getting sufficient information, then they suggested a project which could be expected to be sustainable and supported the approach of the community. And the local residents did not have preconceptions against the suggestions or projects such as labors and efforts. They discussed what they could do, recognizing and practicing it in order for the community to be reborn and beautified as well as for the mutual supports among the residents, which produced the results. In addition, companies had an understanding for these approaches and helped them by offering expertise and materials which the public administration or the residents did not have as part of their social action program.

Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
a. What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
The “Osaka prefecture comprehensive plan” formulated in December 2000 is the plan which shows the direction to realize the approach in 2025 for residents, companies, NPOs, public administrations and all the various entities in Osaka prefecture. In this plan, it is mentioned that we will promote the project by focusing on the “Activities to build up everybody’s urban area where ideas are utilized and create something mew”. It means that “Osaka” which is suitable for the 21st century can be built up by way of people’s cooperation with their own proposals of various ideas in the fields of urban development, public welfare, education, culture, environment and other various sectors. It is also mentioned that we will heavily promote the “Activities to create hospitable Osaka with the regional support”. In Osaka, there are relationships within a community which are beyond difference of ages as well as atmosphere of deep humanity, and it is meant to work on the development of a warm welfare society by mutual supports in the community so that each and every person can be independent and participate in society by making use of such general atmosphere, even with the trend toward the nuclear family and urbanization. And in December 2008, under the Governor who just took office, based on the economical changes after implementing the general plan, the future image of Osaka and the “Future vision of Osaka” which directed the approaches to realize it were made. This vision aims for Osaka becoming a city full of water and greens, where anybody; children or old people; can live in peace, thereby the approaches to realize “Osaka full of brilliant smiles”, which is “revitalization of the power of the community”, are the purpose. These plans passed through the councils of Osaka prefectural assembly and we might say that it reflected the residents’ opinions. We will, based on these plans, endeavor to bring out the strengths of Osaka, with a spirit of self-reliance and mutual aid, taking into our perspective the region of ‘Kansai’, of which Osaka Prefecture is a part, and also the world; so that all our citizens can respect each other and achieve happiness.

b. What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
The policies we have carried out have taken the following path. First of all, the “Making to lawn in public primary school”. In Japan, since the latter half of the 1990’s, it has been recommended that lawn be laid on school grounds as an effective way to encourage the improvement of the physical strength of students and promote a good educational environment. However, the methods of maintaining lawn became an obstacle, and not much progress was made. Our leader appointed in 2008 proclaimed “Making to lawn in public primary school” as one of their focal policies, with the expectation that it would have the effect of revitalizing the strength of our communities. As a result of instigating support policies whereby PTA and citizens join in the maintenance, we were able to double the usual rate of implementation in one year. Furthermore, since 2000, we have instigated a “Adopt System of road” for the roads we maintain with the aim of “Creating Beautiful Roads Loved by Citizens” and “A New Partnership between Citizens and Government”. After that, following the smooth development of roads, “Adopt System of river” was started in 2001 in order to make rivers to be loved and cared by the community, which would lead to the voluntary community activities for the beautification of the rivers. In 2010, those approaches grew further than the roads and rivers, becoming the activity such as growing flowers at seaside and street corners where about 500 organizations and the total of 50,000 people joined. At the 10th anniversary of the activity, an effective logo mark was made with “for becoming Osaka full of smiles” as the slogan, which was used for attracting young generations to expand the activity. As to “Network for dementia support”, in 2007 and 2008, supporters for people with dementia were cultivated, workshops to cultivate volunteers were held and their initial activities were supported. As a result, the network anchored by the residents but not by the public administration was developed.

c. What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
“Community Power” is defined as ability of communities to cooperate with each other and sort out regional problems through collaborative activities such as security arrangements for children or interaction in welfares. As an approach to revive the community power, we enforced plans such as cleaning, greenery activity, and network building for community welfare. Those activities are mainly conducted by community resident and public administration consistently backs their activities. Therefore, we had to prepare initial cost, maintenance cost, and other essential materials and skills. Since the biggest purpose is to revive community power and keep working on regular activities for the region, the initial cost will be prepared by public administration but maintenance cost will be sorted out with resident’s handworks and cooperation of local authority. Also, organizations for community support have been newly set at 7 public works offices in Osaka to technically support in constant regional activities and encourage new development.

d. What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
In carrying out the project, the initial costs were funded by the government and the maintenance and management costs were, in principle, funded by local community. However, in order to carry out the project in a smooth and continuing manner, it was necessary to realize cost reductions and lightening of the burden on local residents and to secure materials and specialist technologies. For this reason, a new program, the “Osaka Prefecture politics region contribution enterprise registration system”, was established. This is a mechanism to have companies actively participate in actions for social contribution by means of their financial, human and material resources and technologies. The companies, too, on their part have desires and challenges in the execution of distinctive activities meeting local needs, raising motivations and incentives of the participating employees, and selecting appropriate collaborators. Thus, through coordination by the assigned staff, it became possible to enlist resources that could not be secured by conventional mechanisms, by efficiently matching projects of the government and the contributions to society by companies, while meeting the desires and challenges of the companies.

Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
It is not easy for the office staff members visit the community themselves, face the thoughts of the people and various relationships, get sufficient information, make suggestions to the residents and support their approaches, which are commonly done in our projects for revitalizing the power of local communities. However, that each staff member understands the purpose of revitalizing the power of local community and works on it enthusiastically is not dependent on the budget scale of the administration office or environment, but is quite imitable. And in order to ensure funds, human resource, materials and technologies continually, it is effective that the projects are developed independently by the residents, who are not asked to bear excess burden, and companies are invited to make contributions efficiently. As for “Making to lawn in public primary school” and “ Adopt System”, organizations were set up in the public works offices in 7 areas within the prefecture and they served as example, helping the expansion throughout the prefecture. As for “Network for dementia support”, many inquiries about projects contents and requests to give lectures as well as the requests for visits have come from prefectural and city governments and municipalities in the country.

What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
Osaka has an atmosphere of friendliness and communication between people of all ages within its communities. Even though regional communities have been weakened by urbanization and the increasing trend towards nuclear families, citizens have sought opportunities for a renaissance of connections between each other. To serve our citizens, rather than working directly to build regional communities, we have devoted ourselves to the maintenance and management of our schools, which are closely linked to communities, as well as roads, rivers and parks which are an indispensable part of regional lifestyles; providing platforms for joint cooperation, as well as technical support and backup for activities. As a result, activities by citizens themselves have led to a feeling of attachment to communities, communities have been revitalized in a way that suits each region rather than by government imposition, and new partnerships have been created. Osaka Prefecture will continue to build a motivational and sound system, raising the consciousness of citizens and businesses, expanding the circle of ‘collaboration’ rooted in each community and strengthening our communities.


Institution Name:		Osaka Prefectural Government
Institution Type:		Government Agency
Contact Person:		Shoji Takahashi
Title:		Senior Staff
Telephone/ Fax:		+81-6-6944-9085
Institution's / Project's Website:		+81-6-6944-1702
E-mail:		gyoseikaikaku-g08@sbox.pref.osaka.lg.jp
Address:		Otemae 2-chome,chuou-ku
Postal Code:		540-8570
City:		Osaka
State/Province:		Osaka
Country:		Japan

The Problem

Solution and Key Benefits

Actors and Stakeholders

(a) Strategies

(b) Implementation

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

(d) Use of Resources

Sustainability and Transferability

Lessons Learned

Contact Information