Public-Private Partnerships in Traditional Industries: A Comparative Governance Framework for Regional Revitalization in Japan and Central Europe

This paper examines how public-private partnerships in traditional industries serve as innovative governance mechanisms for regional revitalization in aging societies. Through comparative analysis of Japanese public-private brewery models and Central European cultural heritage initiatives, a novel theoretical framework (the Traditional Industry Revitalization through Governance Innovation (TIRGI) Framework) is developed. This framework advances existing PPP and public governance theories by specifically addressing how traditional industries can be transformed into instruments of public policy and regulation. Drawing on social capital theory and public value creation perspectives, the analysis reveals three key governance innovations: hybrid institutional arrangements balancing public accountability with market efficiency, multi-stakeholder coordination mechanisms integrating cultural preservation with economic development, and trust-building processes generating both bonding and bridging social capital. The TIRGI Framework demonstrates unique advantages over existing models by integrating public governance principles with cultural heritage management, providing specific regulatory mechanisms for traditional industry PPPs, and offering measurable outcomes across economic, social, cultural, and environmental dimensions. The framework contributes to public administration scholarship by reconceptualizing traditional industries as platforms for governance innovation and regulatory experimentation rather than merely objects of preservation.