A prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. It can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries. The term "prefecture" originally referred to a self-governing body or area since the tetrarchy, when Emperor Diocletian divided the Roman Empire into four districts, each divided into dioceses, grouped under a Vicarius. In modern-day China, the prefecture is an administrative division found in the second level of the administrative hierarchy. In addition to prefectures, this level also includes autonomous prefectures, leagues, and prefecture-level cities. In Italy, a prefettura is the office of a prefetto, the representative of the Government in each province. In France, a préfecture is the capital city of a department, and by metonymy also designates the office and residence of the prefect. As there are 101 departments in France, there are 101 prefectures. A préfecture de région is the capital city of an administrative region.

In Japan, the country is divided into 47 prefectures, which rank immediately below the national government and form the countrys first level of jurisdiction and administrative division. They include 43 prefectures proper, two urban prefectures, one regional... Most of them depend heavily on central government funding, and in many policy areas, the basic framework is set tightly by national laws, and prefectures and municipalities are only autonomous within that framework. The Classical Chinese character from which the term "ken" is derived carries a rural or provincial connotation, and an analogous character is used to refer to the counties of China, counties of Taiwan, and districts of... .