This does not contradict the globalization. This is enabled by the advent of borderless era which accompanied the globalization. The example includes EU, NAFTA, APEC, etc. Besides, there is a trend that smaller regions (subregions) which compose a wider region voluntarily cooperate with each other. This is called subregional cooperation. For example, Baltic Sea Rim countries (Estonia, Latvia Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany and Poland) are cooperating with each other, first of all, in environmental problems. In addition, they are cooperating with each other in a wide sphere such as economic problems, cultural exchange, human rights, etc. 'Euroregions' are interesting examples of 'cooperative relationship of municipalities across borders'. Although there are still high hurdles between the Western Europe and the Eastern Europe at the national level in the integration process, the integration of the both parts of the Europe is making steady progress at the micro level. At the level of municipalities which are adjacent to each other, on the borders of Czech and Poland, and Slovakia and Poland, cooperation makes headway in the sphere of improvement of transportation, prevention of air pollution, promotion of regional development, health and social security, education and culture, tourism, etc. More than 40 'Euroregions' are established in the whole Europe. Such cases are too numerous to mention1).
Since these two megatrends are under way irrespective of whether we like or not, we should behave taking into our consideration this reality. Now we are requested to change our way of thinking. It seems that my talk jumps to a quite different topic, but I would like to explain the case of Slovenia, which composed the former Yugoslavia. It is a small country with an area of 20,251 square kilometers and with population of less than 2 million. As Niigata prefecture where I live has an area of 12,500 square meters and population of 2 million and a half, Slovenia is smaller than our prefecture in terms of population.
