Each municipality has a single-chamber assembly. The assemblymen and women are elected directly by local residents aged 20 or higher for a four-year term. The local assemblies decide on the budget and set regulations for their particular municipality.

The head of the municipality is also elected by popular vote for a period of four years. The chief executive is responsible for the local administration, giving directions to the local-authority staff and carrying out administrative measures in accordance with the decisions of the assembly.

If all administrative work were to be carried out by the central government, there would no doubt be many cases where local characteristics would be overlooked. Thus a division of responsibility has been developed. The central government handles administrative measures that affect the entire country or more than one prefecture. The local authorities are responsible for administrative tasks that affect local residents directly, such as maintaining parks, administering elementary and middle schools, looking after people's health and hygiene, collecting and disposing of garbage, and keeping the family register. In cases where such tasks cover two or more municipalities, they are taken over by prefectural authorities.

In Japan's system of local government, local residents have a direct voice in the way things are run. For example, eligible voters can demand the dissolution of the assembly and dismissal of assembly members and municipality chiefs by obtaining a required number of signatures. The governor or mayor may be dismissed if the demands for his or her ouster are approved in a referendum by a majority of eligible voters in an administrative district.