Previous studies on satisfaction with governmental policy have mainly examined potential determinants of such satisfaction at the citizen level. The present study, however, focuses on the problem of why a regional gap in satisfaction has arisen within Tokyo’s central 23 wards. Quantitative analysis was performed on this regional gap from the theoretical standpoints of social capital and metagovernance within the study of network governance. This research also situates the factor of civil society within public policy study and deals with policy satisfaction in terms of the quality of local governance. The results show that smaller government is associated with a higher degree of policy satisfaction. Community management is found to be more successful when civil society organizations and local governments form stronger governance networks and there is abundant social capital at the local level. In addition, policy satisfaction is high when local governments proactively intervene in civil society organizations. In other words, this study finds the existence of local governments in the era of governance does not signal a decline in governments’ administrative capacities, but rather that the extension of civil society organizations in local governments has deepened. Thus, it has become clear that local governments’ coordination with society, supported by social capital, is essential in achieving good governance.
