In the meantime, due to the three local new laws established in 1878, Gun-ku-cho-son Heniseiho (an act for the reorganization of counties, wards, towns and villages), Fukenkai Kisoku (the rules of prefectural assembly) as well as Chihozei Kisoku (the rules of local tax), Fuken started having two characters, its new character as an autonomous body and its original character as a government regional office in the local area.
この間、1878年（明治11年）、郡区町村編制法とともに地方三新法を構成する府県会規則および地方税規則により自治体として性格を得、従来の国の地方出先機関としての性格との二面性を持つようになった。