分権

• 読み: ぶんけん
• ローマ字: bunken
• 漢字の分解: 分 (bun/fu) — divide, share; 権 (ken) — authority, right, power
• 発音: /bɯŋ.keɴ/

意味

Decentralisation; devolution of power. The distribution of authority and administrative functions away from a central government to local or regional bodies.

Frequently used in the compound 地方分権 (chihō bunken), which refers specifically to the transfer of central governmental powers to prefectures and municipalities. It is a recurring theme in Japanese administrative reform debates. The opposite concept is 集権 (shūken, centralisation of authority).

例文

1. 地方分権を推進することで、各自治体が地域の実情に合った政策を実施できるようになる。
2. 権限の分権化が進めば、中央省庁への依存度が低下すると期待されている。
3. 分権改革の議論は長年続いているが、財源の移譲をめぐる交渉が難航している。

使い方ガイド

場面: government, administrative reform, local governance, policy

トーン: neutral

起源と歴史

A modern administrative and political term formed from 分 (bun, to divide) and 権 (ken, authority/power). Gained prominence in Japanese political discourse during the Meiji-era debates on governance and became central to post-war constitutional discussions about local autonomy.

文化的背景

時代: Modern–Contemporary

世代: Adults

社会的背景: General