Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi ordered his Cabinet ministers Tuesday to take steps to halt "amakudari," the practice of senior bureaucrats retiring early to join government-affiliated organizations as highly paid executives, because of the corruption that can result.
"We need to overhaul the current practice," Koizumi told reporters at his office.
Too many bureaucrats retire in their early 50s, indirectly bringing pressure to bear to create these posts in public corporations, he said.