The Cabinet adopted a bill Tuesday that will serve as the basic law to start consolidating a reformed administrative system in January 2001 at the earliest.
The bill, which also aims to strengthen the functions of the Cabinet, was sent to the Diet the same day. The proposed law states that the transformation of the current 22 government ministries and agencies into the Cabinet Office and 12 ministries and agencies would be started no later than five years after its enactment.
The government hopes the bill, which does not specify when the consolidation will be completed, clears the Diet by the end of its current session, which is to run until June. The new legislation will constitute the foundation of administrative reform, one of Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto's policy priorities.
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