Out of 576 young career-track bureaucrats who studied abroad at government expense from fiscal 1997 through 2002, 56 quit within five years after returning home, according to a study by the National Personnel Authority.

The government disbursed some 730 million yen to the 56 civil servants — about 13 million yen each — to cover their tuition and other expenses, but only a few have repaid the expenses since quitting, according to the authority.

One quit the government within a few months after coming home to take a job with a private-sector company, the study showed.