The politics of administrative reform in Japan: more strategies, less progress
By: Jong S. Jun.
Contributor(s): Hiromi Muto.
Material type:
ArticlePublisher: 1998Description: p.195-202.Subject(s): Administrative reform - Japan | Administrative reform
In:
International Review of Administrative SciencesSummary: The Japanese government's desire to initiate change is fueled by a number of recent as well as longstanding issues, such as reform, electoral-process, political corruption, the rising deficit, tax cuts, crisis management after the Kobe earthquake, deregulation and the decentralization of government. In the 1990s, the prime ministers have attempted administrative reform, these issues working with the bureaucrats in the ministries and the political parties in the Diet on these pressing issues. Through the grueling process of compromise, the Japanese government has made some progress, namely tax cuts and political reform. Particularly since 1993, there has been an unusually strong tide of reform, and it is still growing. The drive to reform the national bureaucracy presents local governments with an opportunity to shape their institutions and to assert the power of local governments (prefectures and municipalities) to decide and control local priorities. The resistance to administrative reform comes mainly from the bureaucrats and the politicians at the national level. This article attempts to explain the malaise in Japanese politics and bureaucracy, and, more important, to argue that the reform movement is, by its very nature, incremental, and that it has been held back largely by the bureaucrats and the ruling political party
| Item type | Current location | Call number | Vol info | Status | Date due | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Articles
|
Indian Institute of Public Administration | Volume no: 64, Issue no: 2 | Available | AR39107 |
The Japanese government's desire to initiate change is fueled by a number of recent as well as longstanding issues, such as reform, electoral-process, political corruption, the rising deficit, tax cuts, crisis management after the Kobe earthquake, deregulation and the decentralization of government. In the 1990s, the prime ministers have attempted administrative reform, these issues working with the bureaucrats in the ministries and the political parties in the Diet on these pressing issues. Through the grueling process of compromise, the Japanese government has made some progress, namely tax cuts and political reform. Particularly since 1993, there has been an unusually strong tide of reform, and it is still growing. The drive to reform the national bureaucracy presents local governments with an opportunity to shape their institutions and to assert the power of local governments (prefectures and municipalities) to decide and control local priorities. The resistance to administrative reform comes mainly from the bureaucrats and the politicians at the national level. This article attempts to explain the malaise in Japanese politics and bureaucracy, and, more important, to argue that the reform movement is, by its very nature, incremental, and that it has been held back largely by the bureaucrats and the ruling political party
There are no comments for this item.