Abstract:
There are negative images if one particular politician stays for a long period in
one public position. Long-serving is usually associated with nepotism, patron-client
relations, corruption, low quality of public service and inefficiency.
A survey in two Japanese city halls reveals that civil servants are of the opinion that
personnel administration was fair and they were given freedom to implement policies
under long-serving mayors. They could keep good relations with local legislative bodies.
Thus civil servants did not experience strong pressure from the legislature’s members.
Long-serving mayors could use their long-serving experience as political resource.
There is an alternative style of leadership at the local government level in Japan.
Maybe a bottom-up and consensus-based, i.e., invisible leadership, is old-fashioned.
However, an alternative leadership style can provide an alternative, resolving
complicated problems through real results.
