The intention of the official residence, the bureaucrats shrinking the Prime Minister's instructions and the personnel card awareness

In a quarter of a century since the implementation of the House of Representatives single-member constituency system, policy management led by the Prime Minister's Office has progressed. The Prime Minister's instructions are directly distributed to the ministries and agencies, eliminating the vertical division of ministries and agencies, leading to quick execution. The negative aspects of bureaucratic awe, such as sontaku toward the "intention of the official residence," have also become prominent.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which drafted the fund concept at the stage of last year, insisted on 1 trillion yen, and the Ministry of Finance tried to keep it at several hundred billion yen. The prime minister, who positions the green as a source of growth, has ordered an increase to 2 trillion yen.

The purpose of the reorganization of ministries in 2001 was to establish a politically-led system that eliminates the vertical division of ministries. In January 1995, the Tomiichi Murayama administration was delayed due to the Great Hanshin Earthquake. Based on this lesson, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, who succeeded Mr. Murayama, prepared a system for administrative reform, including strengthening cabinet functions.

The single-seat constituency system and the political party subsidy system were the foundations for the prime minister's office. In the Liberal Democratic Party, the executive department led by the prime minister (party president) increased its influence with official authority and funds, and took control of the personnel such as ministers. Top-down policy management will take root due to changes in government and party dynamics.

At the same time, the bureaucrats who support the official residence swell. The number of staff (including the Cabinet Legislation Bureau) was calculated based on the capacity of the Cabinet Secretariat, which assists and supports the Prime Minister, and the Cabinet Office, which handles important policies of the Cabinet.

In 2001, immediately after the Cabinet Office was established due to the reorganization of ministries and agencies, there were a total of 2,800 people. In FY2012, when the second Shinzo Abe administration was inaugurated, the total number was 3,166, an increase of 13% from FY2001. In FY2008, there were a total of 3677 people, an increase of 31% from FY2001 and 16% from FY2012.

Each ministry and agency is unlikely to be involved in policy unless it understands the intentions of the prime minister and chief cabinet secretary. All send ace grades to the Cabinet Office and Cabinet Secretariat.

The Prime Minister's Office paved the way for a change in policy that was protected by the unity of relevant ministries and members of the tribe during the medium-sized electoral system. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi achieved the long-sought privatization of the postal service in 2005, four years after he took office.

On the other hand, if the pressure on the official residence goes too far, the negative side will become noticeable.

"Because the official residence says so ...". During the former Abe administration, the place was calmed down by a word leaked at a meeting of foreign ministry executives.

A strategy to link economic cooperation to the progress of the Northern Territories negotiations. It was a policy change from successive administrations to break the territorial dispute and move the relationship forward.

Politics prioritizes policies based on the commitment and public opinion of those in power. As a group of experts, bureaucrats analyze the effects and present policy options. If you fall into a stop of thinking, the brake role will disappear.

A former government official said, "We will not be able to develop the ability to think about policies, and we may lose human resources."

In some cases, the reality and policies could be distorted. At that time, the issue was about the school corporation "Moritomo Gakuen," which was questioned about its relationship with Mrs. Akie Abe. The official document of the Ministry of Finance regarding the disposal of state-owned land has been tampered with.

The establishment of a new faculty at Kake Gakuen, which is run by Mr. Abe's friend, was suspected of exercising arbitrary power.

There are many views that the starting point of sontaku is the Cabinet Personnel Bureau, which was established in 2014. He took control of the personnel of about 600 executives of each ministry and agency. "As long as I have the personnel rights, I will definitely look at the complexion of the official residence." This is the true intention of bureaucrats who permeate Kasumigaseki.

In 2005, Prime Minister Koizumi effectively removed the executive in charge of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications prior to deliberations on the postal privatization bill. It was the personnel card that I cut to suppress the cautiousness.

According to a survey by the Cabinet Personnel Bureau, the number of retirees of national civil servants in their 20s due to personal reasons reached 87 in FY2007. It has more than quadrupled from six years ago.

The number of applicants for general civil servants has decreased by 50% in the last 20 years. Taro Kono, Minister of Regulatory Reform, laments the departure of national civil servants as "crisis."

Source: https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQODE1847Q0Y0A211C2000000?unlock=1