Abstract: Due to various factors, Japan‘s local councils have always faced problems such as limited power, ineffective performance, and poor public perception. The Decentralization Reform has created favorable conditions for the local council reform. The changes in the local political and economic environment in the 1990s further forced the councils to reform themselves. The basic regulation on council has been enacted by the local councils to regulate the basic affairs of local councils. The basic regulation on council is not only an important achievement of local council reforms, but also a blueprint for the reforms with legal protection. Local councils continue to push council reforms in accordance with the basic regulation on council.

Key words: basic regulation on council, local councils, Decentralization Reform, council reforms, Hofu City Councils Basic Regulation