Regional development policies:instituions, resources and actors involved. An analytical framework applied to the Japanese case

The paper presents the outcome of a research on regional/local development policies conducted in three areas of Japan. It unfolds as follows: 1. First, it briefly outlines an analytical framework; 2. Second, it illustrates the scenario in which the most recent regional development policies undertaken in Japan; 3. Third, it discusses how these development policies can be interpreted on the basis of the framework adopted and a general hypothesis related to the Japanese case; 4. Fourth it draws some general conclusions.