ans ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁F is cal ▁central ization ▁ ▁The ▁primary ▁cause ▁for ▁the ▁emer gence ▁of ▁client el ism ▁was ▁tight ▁fis cal ▁central ization ▁in ▁Japan . ▁It ▁is ▁rare ▁for ▁Japanese ▁rural ▁pre fect ures ▁to ▁have ▁access ▁to ▁substantial ▁fis cal ▁resources , ▁instead ▁re lying ▁upon ▁the ▁national ▁government . ▁Local ▁pre fect ures ▁s our ced ▁ 7 0 ▁per ▁cent ▁of ▁their ▁re venue ▁from ▁the ▁national ▁government . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁ 4 7 ▁pre fect ural ▁govern ments ▁were ▁engaged ▁in ▁a ▁constant ▁struggle ▁to ▁obtain ▁funds ▁from ▁national ▁coff ers . ▁Hence , ▁Diet ▁members ▁were ▁not ▁simply ▁represent atives ▁of ▁their ▁constitu ents ; ▁they ▁acted ▁as ▁“ pip elines ” ▁between ▁the ▁national ▁tre as ury ▁and ▁their ▁respective ▁pre fect ures . ▁ ▁Elect oral ▁mal app ort ion ment ▁ ▁Correct ing ▁the ▁rural - urban ▁im bal ance ▁and ▁vote - value ▁dispar ity ▁is ▁one ▁objective ▁of ▁political ▁reform . ▁The ▁pre - 1 9 9 4 ▁elect oral ▁system ▁was ▁advantage ous ▁for ▁rural ▁areas ▁where ▁the ▁L DP ▁had ▁been ▁particularly ▁strong ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁support ▁base , ▁as ▁the ▁L DP ▁helped ▁protect ▁the ▁agricult ure ▁industry ▁and ▁social ▁security ▁for ▁them ▁in ▁return . ▁It ▁is ▁in ▁rural ▁Japan ▁that ▁the ▁local ▁support ▁groups ▁( ko en ka i ) ▁have ▁been ▁handed ▁down ▁from ▁one ▁generation ▁of ▁Diet ▁member ▁to ▁another . ▁The ▁support ▁groups , ▁in