Tag - bureaucracy

 
 

BUREAUCRACY

JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Feb 27, 2021
Progress in the government's bid to digitalize public services
One woman found that re-entering Japanese society as a citizen was more difficult than trying to enter British society as a foreign national.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 19, 2020
Could reform mission put Taro Kono on path to succeed Suga?
Driving reforms is giving the media- and social media-savvy 57-year-old the opportunity to raise his political profile by playing to his strengths. Will it be enough?
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Oct 12, 2020
Tokyo conference debates new normals as coronavirus drives change
Experts at the annual G1 Global Conference discussed the upending of traditional practices, digitalization, working styles and widening inequality.
JAPAN
Oct 3, 2020
Taro Kono looks to pinpoint what is demotivating young Japanese bureaucrats
According to a survey of 45,000 government officials, 14.7 percent of males under the age of 30 were planning to call it quits within the next three years.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jul 7, 2020
'Single mind' no more: Abe's onetime right-hand man sees his influence dwindle
Despite his long history of supporting the prime minister, the chief cabinet secretary is finding himself increasingly marginalized.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / LAW OF THE LAND
Jun 18, 2020
Much ado about retirement ages and Japan's politicized bureaucracy
The scandal surrounding top prosecutor Hiromu Kurokawa has kicked off a debate on retirement ages and interference in Japan's civil service.
JAPAN
Apr 1, 2020
Cardboard and plastic: Tottori Prefecture goes low-tech to protect officials from COVID-19
In a nation famed for its cutting-edge robots and toilets, one prefecture is going defiantly low-tech in its effort to defend its officials against COVID-19.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Mar 24, 2020
Japan pushes male public servants to take longer paternity leave
The government will encourage its eligible male personnel to use child-rearing leave for at least a month in principle, starting in fiscal 2020.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 8, 2020
Moving the nation beyond Abenomics
Japan's next government must focus squarely on the supply-side and administrative reforms needed to accelerate and sustain economic growth.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Mar 1, 2020
A Tokyo prosecutor's delayed retirement spurs more allegations of Abe cronyism
Over the past month, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his government once again found themselves the target of allegations of political favoritism.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Feb 22, 2020
Rethinking the need for personal stamps and seals in modern society
Last month, MUFG Bank Ltd. started offering ¥1,000 to each of its first 100,000 customers willing to give up their paper passbooks. MUFG wants people to switch to online banking, which is cheaper for banks — and not just because they can save on production costs. Banks pay billions of yen a year in...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 20, 2020
Why think tanks matter in Japan
Ideally Japan's think tanks should be able to help steer the best and brightest young people into government service.
JAPAN
Nov 1, 2019
Japan aims to allow all new dads in central government to take month of paternity leave
Japan aims to ensure that all male central government employees can take paternity leave of at least one month, said Ryota Takeda, minister in charge of public servant system reform, on Friday.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 29, 2019
Break the bureaucrats' grip on policy power
Despite past reforms, the bureaucracy continues to wield strong influence over policy decisions today.

Longform

Professional cleaner Hirofumi Sakurai takes a moment to appreciate some photographs in a Gotanda apartment whose occupant died alone. 
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan