COMPARATIVE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION MPA 503 LECTURE 23 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN THE JAPAN

JAPANESE CIVIL SERVICE THE JAPANESE CIVIL SERVICES UNDERWENT A BASIC AFTER THE MEIJI RESTORATION 1868. AFTER THE 2ND WORLD WAR, THE JAPANESE CIVIL SERVICES ARE REFORMED ALONG THE AMERICAN LINES. THEY DEMOCRATIZED, MODERNIZED, RATIONALIZED, AND PROFESSIONALIZED THE CIVIL SERVICES.

JAPANESE CIVIL SERVICE HOWEVER THE MACARTHUR CONSTITUTION OF 1947 CHANGED THE ENTIRE CONCEPT OF CIVIL SERVICES. IT INCORPORATED THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS: (I) ALL PUBLIC OFFICIALS ARE SERVANTS OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND NOT FOR ANY GROUP THEREOF (II) EVERY PERSON MAY SUE FOR REDRESS AS PROVIDED BY LAW FROM THE STATE.

THE JAPANESE CIVIL SERVICE CENTRAL PERSONNEL AGENCY THE NATIONAL PERSONNEL AUTHORITY (NPA)IS THE CENTRAL PERSONNEL AGENCY IN THE JAPAN. IT WAS ESTABLISHED UNDER A STATUTE IN 1949 IT IS AN AUTONOMOUS BODY IT ADMINISTERS THE NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICES LAW OF 1947 AND THUS LOOKS AFTER THE MANAGEMENT OF CIVIL SERVICES IN JAPAN. .

CENTRAL PERSONNEL AGENCY IT WAS A BRAINCHILD OF USA AND MODELLED AFTER THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION OF THE USA LIKE THE FORMER US CIVIL SERVICES COMMISSION, THE NPA IS A THREE-MEMBER BODY.IT COMPRISES OFA PRESIDENT AND TWO COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE APPOINTED BY THE CABINET IT PERFORMS THE FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS: CONDUCTING RECRUITMENT EXAMS DEVELOPING AND ENFORCING POSITION CLASSIFICATION EXAMS TRAINING OF CIVIL SERVANTS IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF PUBLIC OFFICERS

CENTRAL PERSONNEL AGENCY PROMOTON OF CIVIL SERVANTS REDRESSING GREVIANCES OF CIVIL SERVANTS MAINTENANCE OF DISCIPLINE IN PUBLIC SERVICE RECOMMENDING ON PAY AND OTHER SERVICE CONDITIONS ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES AND STANDARDS ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION MAINTAINENCE OF FAIRNESS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION THE NPA SUBMITS AN ANNUAL REPORT OF ITS ACTIVITIES TO THE DIET AND THE CABINET

CLASSIFICATION THERE IS A SPECIAL AND REGULAR CIVIL SERVICE THE SPECIAL SERVICE INCLUDES THE PRIME MINISTER,MINISTERS,NPA COMMISSIONERS AUDITORS/AUDIT BOARD,MEMBERS OF THE DIET,HIGH OFFICIALS OF THE IMPERIAL HOUSEHOLDSELF-DEFENCE AGENCY PERSONNEL,AM,BASSADORS AND ALL POSITIONS WHOSE APPOINTMENT REQUIRES APPROVAL OF THE DIET THE REGULAR SERVICE INCLUDES ALL POSITIONS OF THE NATIONAL PUBLIC SERBICE WHO ARE RECRUITED THROUGH AN COMPETETIVE EXAM INCLUDING CLERICAL PERSONNEL THESE POSITIONS ARE CLASSIFIED FOR PURPOSES OF ADMINISTRATION AND SALARY INTO SIXTEEN SERVICES INCLUDING A RESEARCH SERVICE

RECRUITMENT IN JAPAN, RECRUITMENT TO THE CIVIL SERVICES IS BASED ON OPEN COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION CONDUCED BY THE NPA. THE NPA ADMINISTERS EVERY YEAR SIXTEEN COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS ,ONE FOR EACH SERVICE TO RECRUIT STAFF FOR THREE LEVELS- HIGHER, MIDDLE, LOWER CIVIL SERVICES. THE PRINCIPAL SENIOR A-CLASS EXAM IS THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS WHICH COMPRISES OF A PRELIMINARY TEST AND A SECOND ROUND OF ORAL AND WRITTEN TESTS THOSE WHO ARE SUCCESSFUL JOIN THE SUPERIOR ADMINISTRATIVE CLASS ALSO CALLED THE CAREERMEN OR ELITOS (COMPARABLE TO DMG/PAS)

TRAINING TRAINING OF CIVIL SERVANTS IN JAPAN IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE NPA. NPA HAS SET UP AN INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (IPA) IN THE SAITAMA PREFECTURE NEAR TOKYO. THE IPA IS HEADED BY A CAREER CIVIL SERVANT AND WORKS DIRECTLY UNDER THE NPA. THE IPA CONDUCTS A NUMBER OF TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR MIDDLE AND SENIOR LEVEL CIVIL SERVANTS. A COMBINED INTRODUCTORY SHORT TERM TRAINING IS CONDUCTED BY THE NPA FOR HIGHER CIVIL SERVANTS INCLUDING CAREERMEN WITH A VIEW TO PROMOTE ESPIRIT DE CORPS,COMMUNITY CONSCIOUSNESS AND A FEELING OF PUBLIC SERVICE

PROMOTION THE NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE LAW MAKES THE FOLLOWING TWO PROVISIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE PROMOTION IN THE CIVIL SERVICES OF JAPAN: (I) PROMOTION OF PERSONNEL SHALL BE BY COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION AMONG INCUMBENTS OF GOVERNMENT POSITIONS OF LOWER LEVELS THAN THAT OF THE GOVERNMENT POSITION UNDER CONSIDERATION OF PROMOTION. (II) IN CASES WHERE THE NPA DEEMS IT IMPRACTICABLE TO HOLD AN EXAMINATION AMONG THE INCUMBENTS CONCERNED, PROMOTION MAY BE MADE BY MEANS OF AN EVALUATION BASED ON THE PAST SERVICE RECORD. THUS IT EMPHASISES MERIT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION HOWEVER IN PRACTICE PRONOTIONS ARE MADE ON SENIORITY BASIS

PROMOTION A CIVIL SERVANT CAN RISE TO THE POSITION OF A SECTION CHIEF(HEADING A SECTION) AFTER ABOUT 15 YEARS OF SERVICE AND TO THE POST OF DIRECTOR (HEADING A DIVISION) AFTER ABOUT 20 YEARS OF SERVICE THE CIVIL SERVANT MAY GET PROMOTED AS DIRECTOR GENERAL(HEADING A BUREAU) AFTER 25-28 YEARS OF SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATIVE VICE-MINISTER(HEADING A MINISTRY) AFTER 28 -30 YEARS (EQUIVALENT OF A FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY IN PAKISTAN)

PAY AND SERVICE CONDITIONS IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS WITH RESPECT TO PAY AND SERVICE CONDITIONS ARE AS UNDER: (I) THE NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE LAW PROVIDES THAT THE PERSONNEL SHALL BE COMPENSATED ON THE BASIS OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THEIR POSITIONS. (II) APART FROM THE REGULAR SALARY, THE CIVIL SERVANTS ARE ALSO GIVEN VARIOUS ALLOWANCES LIKE HOUSING, OVERTIME, ETC. (III) LIKE THE USA, JAPAN ALSO GRANT THE RIGHT TO STRIKE TO ITS CIVIL SERVANTS

PAY AND SERVICE CONDITIONS (IV) LIKE THE USA, JAPAN ALSO GRANTS ITS CIVIL SERVANTS THE RIGHT OF ASSOCIATION. (V) LIKE THE USA, JAPAN ALSO PLACES RESTRICTIONS ON THE POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF CIVIL SERVANTS. (VI) IN 1985, THE RECRUITMENT AGE FOR CIVIL SERVANTS WAS FIXED AT 60 YEARS. AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT THE JAPANESE CIVIL SERVICE IS THAT ON RETIREMENT THE GOVERNMENT ADJUSTS CIVIL SERVANTS IN PRIVATE CORPORATIONS

JAPANESE LOCAL GOVERNMENT The power and functions of local government institutions in Japan are determined by the constitution and the local Autonomy Law, enacted by the Diet in 1947. The local Autonomy Law of 1947 supplements the constitutional provisions. At present, Japan has the following units of Local Government: (i) Prefecture (ii) city (iii) town (iv) village

PREFECTURAL GOVERNMENT THE PREFECTURAL GOVERNMENT CONSISTS OF A GOVERNOR AND AN ASSEMBLY. THE GOVERNOR IS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF A PREFECTURE. HE IS ELECTED BY THE LOCAL PEOPLE FOR THE 4YEARS TERM. HE CAN BE REMOVED BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN. GOVERNOR CAN ISSUE REGULATIONS(ORDINANCES) WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE ASSEMBLY.

PREFECTURAL GOVERNMENT He has the veto power over the Assembly. He can dissolve the assembly. The assembly is a single-house legislature. Its strength depends on the local population and hence ranges between 40 and 120 members. The Assembly can pass a vote of no-confidence against the Governor.

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OF THE CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES ARE KNOWN AS THE MUNICIPALITIES. EACH MUNICIPALITY HAS MAYOR AND A COUNCIL. THE MAYOR IS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF A MUNICIPALITY. HE IS ELECTED BY THE LOCAL PEOPLE FOR A TERM OF 4YEARS. HE CAN BE REMOVED BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE PREFECTURE.

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT MAYOR HAS COMPLETE CONTROL OVER LOCAL ADMINISTRATION AND LOCAL FINANCE INCLUDING THE PREPARATION OF THE BUDGET. MAYOR HAS THE VETO POWER OVER THE COUNCIL. THE COUNCIL IS A SINGLE-HOUSE LEGISLATURE. ITS STRENGTH DEPENDS UPON THE LOCAL POPULATION AND HENCE RANGES BETWEEN 12 TO 48. ITS MEMBERS ARE ELECTED BY THE LOCAL PEOPLE FOR THE 4YEARS TERM.

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT IT ELECTS ITS OWN CHAIRMAN AND FUNCTIONS THROUGH COMMITTEES. COUNCIL CAN OVERRIDE THE VETO POWER OF THE MAYOR BY A SPECIAL TWO-THIRD MAJORITY. COUNCIL CAN PASS A VOTE OF NO-CONFIDENCE AGAINST THE MAYOR. IN JAPAN, THE LOCAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE(GOVERNOR AND MAYOR) HAVE A DUAL ROLE. THEY SERVE BOTH THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IN NATIONAL AFFAIRS AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN LOCAL AFFAIRS.