Ministry of Foreign Affairs

It is one of the national administrative organs stipulated by the National Administrative Organization Act. Its head is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and its duties, jurisdiction and organization are stipulated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Establishment Act. Its English name is Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Its predecessor was the Foreign Affairs Investigation Section (Tori Shirabe Gakari) established by the new Meiji government in 1868 (Keio 4). The following year, with the reform of the Dajokan system, it became the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (headed by the Foreign Minister). With the inauguration of the Cabinet system in 1885 (Meiji 18), the Foreign Minister was renamed the Foreign Minister.

The affairs overseen by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Establishment Act) include foreign policy, negotiations and cooperation with foreign governments, cooperation with the United Nations and other international organizations and participation in international conferences, conclusion of treaties and other international agreements, collection and analysis of information on international situations, protection of the lives and persons of Japanese nationals overseas, issuance of passports and visas, domestic public relations on overseas affairs and overseas public relations on Japanese affairs, dispatch and reception of diplomats and consuls, and coordination of planning and drafting by relevant administrative agencies regarding some of the official development assistance activities.

The internal bureaus include the Minister's Secretariat and 10 bureaus (Diplomatic Policy Bureau, Asian and Oceanian Bureau, North American Bureau, Latin American Bureau, European Bureau, Middle Eastern and African Bureau, Economic Bureau, International Cooperation Bureau, International Legal Bureau, and Consular Bureau), as well as one Deputy Director-General for International Information (Article 2 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Organization Order). Councils include the Foreign Affairs Personnel Council and the Overseas Exchange Council, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Training Institute is an institution (Articles 90 and 93 of the same Order). In addition, there are special institutions such as overseas diplomatic missions (embassies, legations, consulates general, consulates, and government representative offices) that carry out the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' affairs in foreign countries (Article 6 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Establishment Law). In addition to the above institutions, the Minister for Foreign Affairs may appoint an honorary consul general or honorary consul in a foreign country when he deems it necessary to carry out some of the affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in that country and place them in the necessary locations (Article 13 of the same Law).

[Kazumasa Inaba January 21, 2022]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

国家行政組織法が定める国の行政機関の一つ。その長は外務大臣で、任務、所掌事務および組織は、外務省設置法が定めている。英語表記はMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Japan。前身は、1868年（慶応4）に明治新政府が設けた外国事務取調掛(とりしらべがかり)。翌年、太政官制(だじょうかんせい)改革に伴い外務省となった（長は外務卿(きょう)）。1885年（明治18）、内閣制度発足により外務卿は外務大臣と改称された。

　外務省がつかさどる事務（外務省設置法4条1項）には、外交政策、外国政府との交渉および協力、国際連合その他の国際機関との協力および国際会議への参加、条約その他の国際約束の締結、国際情勢に関する情報の収集および分析、海外における邦人の生命および身体の保護、旅券および査証の発給、海外事情の国内広報および日本事情の海外広報、外交官および領事官の派遣および接受、政府開発援助のいくつかに関する関係行政機関の行う企画立案の調整、などに関することがある。

　内部部局等としては、大臣官房および10の局（総合外交政策局、アジア大洋州局、北米局、中南米局、欧州局、中東アフリカ局、経済局、国際協力局、国際法局および領事局）のほか、1名の国際情報統括官が置かれる（外務省組織令2条）。審議会等として外務人事審議会および海外交流審議会があり、施設等機関として外務省研修所がある（同令90条、93条）。また特別の機関として、外国において外務省の所掌事務を行う在外公館（大使館、公使館、総領事館、領事館および政府代表部）が置かれる（外務省設置法6条）。以上の機関のほかに、外務大臣は、外国において外務省の所掌事務の一部を遂行するうえで必要と認めるときは、名誉総領事または名誉領事を任命し、これを所要の地に置くこともできる（同法13条）。

［稲葉一将　2022年1月21日］

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