Aprivate sector group known as Niju-isseiki Rincho (21st Century Ad-Hoc Study Group) has handed Democratic Party of Japan secretary general Ichiro Ozawa a set of proposals to enhance the performance of the Diet. Mr. Ozawa also has his own ideas and prepared a bill.
In order to enliven Diet discussions, Mr. Ozawa calls for banning bureaucrats from answering questions from Diet members. He thinks that only Cabinet members should do so.
The Rincho group proposes a different approach. It calls for dividing the functions of Diet committees into two — one for discussions by politicians on bills and the other for investigation by politicians of the work of government ministries by calling bureaucrats to the Diet. This is a reasonable proposal that deserves serious attention.