The downtrend in the number of applicants for bureaucratic positions in Japan appears to be stabilizing, in a shift attributed to a rise in those taking "liberal arts category" career-track examinations, held in autumn.
The liberal arts category exam emphasizes applicants' ability to formulate and present policies, omitting specialty subjects such as legal science. System reviews, including the lowering of the minimum age requirement, have also contributed to the rise in applicant numbers.
The National Personnel Authority, responsible for conducting recruitment exams, aims to implement further reforms, including changes to noncareer-track exams, to encourage more applicants to pursue bureaucratic positions.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.