A Comparative Study of Regional Policy Between Korea and Japan: Focusing on Development and Institutionalization Process
Authors:   The Korean-Japanese Economics & Management Association, Yim Young-Eon , Kim Il-Tae , Park Seok-Gang 
Published: September 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to draw implications by comparing and analyzing the development process,institutionalization process, and characteristics of regional policies in Korea and Japan.
Research design, data, and methodology: As for the research method, the literature analysis on the developmentprocess of regional policy in Korea and Japan after 1945 and the development process of regional policy in Koreaafter the 1997 IMF economic crisis were comparatively analyzed.
Results: The results of this analysis are as follows. First, in the regional gap between Korea and Japan, low fertilityand aging and population decline acted as major background factors. Second, in the course of regional policydevelopment, Korea's deregulation policy became common along with global liberalization, globalization, and opennessafter the 1990s, and as economic deregulation in the metropolitan area progressed, the gap with the provinces wasfurther aggravated. However, in the National Comprehensive Development Plan Government in 1961, Japan promotedregional development policies based on strengthening international competitiveness and corporate rationality as aplan to prevent urban overcrowding in order to narrow the gap between industrial regions and underdevelopedregions in the high-growth period. Third, in the process of institutionalizing Korea-Japan regional policies, in Korea,the Roh Moo-hyun administration, which was launched in 2003, set the region as an agent of innovation andreorganized regional policies to develop regional industrial policies. In Japan, the division of roles between thegovernment and local governments was greatly revised in accordance with the enforcement of the ‘Batch Act onDecentralization’ in 2000, and local independence was systematically guaranteed. Fourth, Korea's regional policy setbalanced national land development as a mid- to long-term strategic goal and encouraged regional-led establishmentof sources of knowledge and technology, thereby resolving regional disparities and promoting balanced developmentof the entire country. In Japan's regional development policy, regional decentralization of factories and educationalinstitutions, the growth of central core cities, and social capital were rearranged.
Implications: IIn conclusion, since Korea and Japan have strong centralized characteristics, there is a similarity thatregional development policies achieved economic development centered on the metropolitan area. However, it turnsout that there are fundamental differences between the regional policies of Korea and Japan to resolve such regionaldifferences. In Japan's regional policies, regional policies are being pursued with an emphasis on welfare policies forthe elderly in order to reduce regional disparities. However, in Korea, the cultural and economic disparities betweenregions are so large that they focus on constructing cultural welfare services and creating jobs.