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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Government approves job cuts for national and local government employees

The government on December 24 approved a major policy for administrative reform including substantial reduction of the number of the central and local government employees, ostensibly to achieve a "small government."

The related bill will be submitted to the next ordinary Diet session beginning in January 2006. The adoption of the policy is aimed at obliging the next prime minister to maintain the "small government" policy after Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro steps down in September 2006.

The 10-point policy for streamlining includes cuts in the total costs for public employees and consolidation of government-run financial institutions. The policy calls for the 687,000 government employees, excluding Japan Post personnel, to be reduced by 5 percent in net terms in the next five years.

As to the 2.08 million local government employees, those engaged in education, police, fire-fighting, and welfare will be reduced according to the norms set by the state. The number of teachers will be reduced in net terms by a greater number than in proportion to the decrease of children due to the declining birth rate.

The eight government-run financial institutions will be consolidated into one through streamlining or privatization.

This streamlining policy, which the government has put forward as a priority, means that the government will abandon its administrative responsibility at the central and local levels, resulting in a reduction in public services to the people.
-Akahata, December 25, 2005