中央集権(ちゅうおうしゅうけん)

ちゅうおうしゅうけん
noun
centralization of power; centralized government
formalacademic
1. centralization of power; centralized government
A system of government in which political power and decision-making authority are concentrated in a central government, as opposed to being distributed among regional or local authorities.
日本(にほん)は中央集権(ちゅうおうしゅうけん)の国(くに)だ。
Japan is a centralized country.
明治(めいじ)政府(せいふ)は中央集権(ちゅうおうしゅうけん)体制(たいせい)を築(きず)いた。
The Meiji government established a centralized system of governance.
地方(ちほう)分権(ぶんけん)が進(すす)み、中央集権(ちゅうおうしゅうけん)からの転換(てんかん)が議論(ぎろん)されている。
With the progress of decentralization, a shift away from centralized government is being debated.

Composed of 中央(ちゅうおう) (central; center) and 集権(しゅうけん) (concentration of power). A key concept in Japanese political history, especially in understanding the Meiji Restoration and the ongoing debate over decentralization.

Common collocations

  • 中央集権(ちゅうおうしゅうけん)体制(たいせい): centralized system of government
  • 中央集権(ちゅうおうしゅうけん)国家(こっか): centralized state
  • 中央集権(ちゅうおうしゅうけん)的(てき): centralized (adjective)
  • 中央集権(ちゅうおうしゅうけん)から地方分権(ちほうぶんけん)へ: from centralization to decentralization

Etymology

Japan's modern 中央集権(ちゅうおうしゅうけん) system was established during the 明治維新(めいじいしん) (Meiji Restoration, 1868), replacing the feudal 幕藩体制(ばくはんたいせい) (shogunate-domain system). Since the 1990s, there has been ongoing debate about 地方分権(ちほうぶんけん) (decentralization) to give regions more autonomy.

Similar words

  • 地方分権(ちほうぶんけん): decentralization — the opposite concept, distributing power to local governments
  • 集権(しゅうけん): concentration of power — the component word without specifying "central"
  • 官僚制(かんりょうせい): bureaucracy — the administrative system that often accompanies centralized government

Related Words

Related: 地方自治(ちほうじち) (local self-government)
general
Added 2026.4.30 22:37 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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