@article{oai:bunkyo.repo.nii.ac.jp:00005964,
 author = {Haufe, Karoline},
 journal = {SHONAN JOURNAL : The International Journal of the Shonan Research Institute Bunkyo University},
 month = {2014-03-01, 2014-07-01},
 note = {Disaffection of citizens with representative democracy is widely discussed in academic literature, in popular science publications, and daily press. Japanese government is faced with typical phenomena of this democratic malaise as western consolidated democracies are as well: the substantial crisis of politics due to increasing deregulation and privatization, crisis of representation and mediating of political interests as reflected in continuously declining electoral turnouts and decreasing influence of political parties, shrinking party membership, shrinking legitimacy, declining confidence in political institutions.
 For about 20 years, one of the solutions to address this crisis of democracy worldwide has been the adoption and application of direct democracy regulations and methods and/or deliberative, dialog-oriented procedures whereby citizens were given the opportunity to exercise active and direct influence in decision-making processes. This paper has two aims; first, to describe the framework and reasons for implementing new, innovative forms of participation and to shed light on the debate on citizens participation from a rather general, theoretical and western point of view. Second, I’ll discuss the Japanese shimin to¯gikai as an example of deliberative participation. Finally I’ll try to briefly comment whether deliberative participation is an alternative, challenge or option to improve participation challenge or option to improve participation and vitalize democracy on the local level.},
 pages = {33--50},
 title = {Democratic innovations in Japan: shimin to¯gikai as new deliberative participation procedures : SPECIAL 2 Perspectives on Civil Society with Different Accesses:Interactive Understandings on Citizens’ Deliberation between Germany and Japan},
 volume = {5},
 year = {}
}