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What powers do the elected heads of Tokyo’s 23 wards have?

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Tokyo-Yokohama Metropolitan Area Portion of the Tokyo skyline at dusk; Tokyo Tower is at the right.

The 23 special wards of Tokyo are unique administrative units within the Tokyo metropolitan prefecture. Unlike the wards found in other designated cities in Japan, where ward chiefs are nominated by the mayor, the heads of Tokyo’s 23 wards are popularly elected by the residents.1

These elected ward heads, alongside their respective ward councils, hold authority over local matters. Generally, local governing bodies in Japan—including these ward-level units—are responsible for managing a variety of public services, such as:2

Education and social welfare1
Health-related matters1
Labor issues1
Land development and preservation1
Disaster prevention and pollution control1

While the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly maintains legislative authority over the broader metropolis, the ward heads and councils exercise their limited powers to address these specific local administrative needs within their respective jurisdictions.2