Administrative Reform - gyosei kikoukaikaku

Japanese: 行政機構改革 - ぎょうせいきこうかいかく

The reform of administrative organizations of the nation and local governments and the process of doing so. Specifically, it refers to the establishment or abolition of national and local government agencies, and the change of their structures, responsibilities, and powers. The reform of the civil service system and the process of doing so are sometimes described as administrative organizational reform. Administrative organizations need to be constantly reformed or reorganized from the perspective of whether they are democratic and efficient, and in line with the qualitative and quantitative increase or decrease in administrative activities that should be carried out to realize the rights and interests of the people. Since administrative organizations must have substance that conforms to the constitutional requirements of the principle of popular sovereignty, the guarantee of fundamental human rights, pacifism, and respect for local autonomy, administrative organizational reform must be appropriate to the constitutional requirements in both its content and the procedures for achieving it.

[Kengo Yamada July 19, 2017]

Postwar reforms and democratization of administrative organizations

Immediately after the Second World War, administrative reform was carried out in conjunction with a major shift in constitutional principles from the Meiji Constitution (Constitution of the Empire of Japan) to the Constitution of Japan. With the Emperor's supreme power to regulate government offices denied, it was decided that the establishment, amendment, and abolition of administrative organizations should be governed by law, and in 1947 (Showa 22), the Cabinet Law and the Administrative Agency Law were enacted along with the enforcement of the Constitution of Japan. After that, the National Administrative Organization Law and the laws establishing each ministry and agency (Prime Minister's Office Establishment Law, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Establishment Law, Ministry of Finance Establishment Law, Ministry of Education Establishment Law, Ministry of Health and Welfare Establishment Law, etc.) were enacted to replace the Administrative Agency Law, which was a one-year provisional law, and were enforced in 1948. In addition to the above reforms in legal form regarding the establishment, amendment, and abolition of administrative organizations, the military administrative organizations such as the Ministry of the Army and the Ministry of the Navy were abolished, the Ministry of the Interior was abolished, the Ministry of Labor was established, and the Local Autonomy Law was enacted. The Emperor's supreme power to appoint and dismiss officials was also denied, and the Constitution of Japan stipulated that public officials be "servants of the people as a whole." In line with this intent, the National Public Service Law and the Local Public Service Law were enacted. These were carried out in accordance with the principles of the Constitution of Japan, namely, popular sovereignty, fundamental human rights, pacifism, and respect for local autonomy.

After the postwar reforms, following the recommendations of the council established for administrative reform, the Economic Stabilization Board was abolished and the Economic Deliberation Agency was established, and administrative reforms were carried out, such as the consolidation and reorganization of central government ministries and agencies, including the promotion of the Agency for Home Affairs to a ministry, and the simplification of the administrative structure by reducing internal departments and streamlining councils.

[Kengo Yamada July 19, 2017]

From the Rincho Administrative Reform to the Reorganization of Ministries and Agencies

The First Provisional Administrative Reform Commission (First Provisional Commission, Chairman: Sato Kiichiro) and the Second Provisional Administrative Reform Commission (Second Provisional Commission, Chairman: Doko Toshio), which were temporarily established in 1961 and 1981 as affiliated agencies of the Prime Minister's Office for the purpose of administrative reform, each made recommendations regarding administrative structures, such as ensuring and strengthening the overall coordination function, simplifying and streamlining administration, and making administrative organization regulations more flexible. The Administrative Management Agency and the Prime Minister's Office were merged to form the Management and Coordination Agency, and the National Government Organization Act was amended to change the organization of internal bureaus from a matter of law to a matter of cabinet order. The privatization of Japan National Railways (JNR), Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation (NTT), and Japan Tobacco and Salt Public Corporation, as recommended by the Second Provisional Commission, were also carried out.

After the First Provisional Commission was dissolved, the Environment Agency (1971), the Okinawa Development Agency (1972), the National Land Agency (1978), and others were established.

Based on the Basic Law for Reform of Central Ministries and Agencies enacted in 1998, a reform of central ministries and agencies was implemented with the aim of strengthening the Cabinet's functions and reducing the size and efficiency of administrative organizations, in addition to reducing and streamlining administrative activities through deregulation. Specifically, in 2001, the previous one agency and 22 ministries and agencies were reorganized into one agency and 12 ministries and agencies, and the Cabinet Office was established to strengthen the Cabinet's functions. In 2007, the Defense Agency was promoted to the Ministry of Defense.

In April 2001, "independent administrative institutions" were established. Following the creation of the independent administrative institution system at the national level, the Local Independent Administrative Institutions Act was enacted for local public entities in 2003. The scope of business of local independent administrative institutions is defined as research and testing, the establishment and management of universities or universities and technical colleges, businesses that cover business expenses with revenues from the management of the said businesses (waterworks, hospitals, etc.), and social welfare businesses (Article 21).

In addition to the administrative organizational reforms mentioned above, the Basic Law for Reform of Central Ministries and Agencies also lists the following issues for the national civil service system: establishing a personnel management system that corresponds to the separation of policy planning and implementation functions, introducing a system for centralized management of human resources, establishing a system for securing human resources for the Cabinet Secretariat and Cabinet Office, securing diverse human resources, thoroughly treating employees according to their abilities and achievements, and optimizing retirement management, and states that these issues will be continuously considered (Article 48). In order to address these issues, the National Civil Service Law was amended during this period. In March 2007, a Cabinet decision was made on "Reform of the Civil Service System," and following this, amendments were made to thoroughly implement personnel management based on abilities and achievements, and to introduce restrictions and monitoring on reemployment. The Local Civil Service Law was also amended with the same content in 2014. The 2014 amendment to the National Public Service Act introduced a system for centralized management of senior official personnel affairs and created the posts of Special Advisor to the Prime Minister and Special Advisor to the Minister, as well as establishing the Cabinet Personnel Bureau to handle affairs related to the centralized management of senior official personnel affairs and affairs related to the planning and drafting of the civil service system.

[Kengo Yamada July 19, 2017]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

国および地方公共団体の行政組織を改革することおよびその過程。具体的には、国や地方公共団体の機関を設置または廃止、機関の構成、所掌事務や権限を改変することである。公務員制度の改革およびその過程も含めて行政機構改革として説明されることがある。行政機構は、それが民主的で能率的なものとなっているかという観点から、そして、国民の権利利益の実現のために行われるべき行政活動の質的・量的増減に即して、不断に改革ないし再編が行われる必要がある。行政機構が、国民主権原理、基本的人権の保障、平和主義および地方自治の尊重という憲法上の要請に沿った実体を備えていなければならない以上、行政機構改革は、その内容においても、それを実現する手続においても憲法上の要請にふさわしいものでなければならない。

［山田健吾　2017年7月19日］

戦後改革と行政機構の民主化

第二次世界大戦直後に、明治憲法（大日本帝国憲法）から日本国憲法への憲法原理の大転換に伴う行政機構改革が行われた。天皇の官制大権が否定されたことに伴い、行政組織の設置改廃等は法律によるべきこととされ、1947年（昭和22）に、日本国憲法の施行とともに、内閣法と行政官庁法が制定された。その後、1年間の暫定法であった行政官庁法にかわって国家行政組織法や各省庁設置法（総理府設置法、外務省設置法、大蔵省設置法、文部省設置法、厚生省設置法など）が制定され、1948年に施行されている。以上のような行政機構の設置改廃の法形式上の改革に加え、陸軍省・海軍省などの軍事行政機構の廃止や内務省の廃止、他方で、労働省の新設、地方自治法の制定などが行われた。天皇の任免大権も否定され、日本国憲法は公務員を「国民全体の奉仕者」と規定した。この趣旨に沿って、国家公務員法および地方公務員法が制定された。これらは、国民主権主義、基本的人権主義、平和主義、地方自治の尊重という日本国憲法の諸原理に即して行われた。

　戦後改革後は行政改革のために設置された審議会の提言を受けて経済安定本部を廃止し経済審議庁を設置、自治庁が省に昇格するなどの中央省庁の統合再編、内部部局の縮減や審議会の整理などの行政機構の簡素化などの行政機構改革が行われた。

［山田健吾　2017年7月19日］

臨調行革から省庁再編へ

1961年および1981年に、行政改革のために総理府の付属機関として臨時的に設置された第一次臨時行政調査会（第一次臨調。会長・佐藤喜一郎(きいちろう)）と第二次臨時行政調査会（第二次臨調。会長・土光敏夫(どこうとしお)）は、いずれも、行政機構に関して、総合調整機能の確保・強化、行政の簡素合理化、行政組織規制の弾力化を提言していた。行政管理庁と総理府本庁が統合されて総務庁が設置され、また、内部部局の編成を法律事項から政令事項とする国家行政組織法の改正がなされるに至った。第二次臨調が提言した日本国有鉄道（国鉄）、日本電信電話公社（電電公社）および日本専売公社の民営化も実施された。

　なお、第一次臨調が解散後に、環境庁（1971）、沖縄開発庁（1972）、国土庁（1978）などが設置された。

　1998年（平成10）に制定された中央省庁等改革基本法に基づいて、規制緩和などによる行政活動の減量化・効率化に加えて、内閣機能の強化と行政組織の減量化・効率化を目的とする中央省庁等改革が実施された。具体的には、2001年（平成13）に、これまでの1府22省庁が1府12省庁に再編されるとともに、内閣機能を強化するために内閣府が設置された。なお、2007年に防衛庁が防衛省に昇格している。

　2001年4月には「独立行政法人」が創設された。国において独立行政法人制度が創設されたことに伴い、地方公共団体においても、2003年に地方独立行政法人法が制定された。地方独立行政法人の業務の範囲は、試験研究、大学または大学および高等専門学校の設置および管理、事業の経費を当該事業の経営に伴う収入をもってあてる事業（水道事業、病院事業など）や社会福祉事業とされている（21条）。

　中央省庁等改革基本法は、以上の行政機構改革とあわせて、国家公務員制度につき、政策の企画立案に関する機能とその実施に関する機能との分離に対応した人事管理制度の構築、人材の一括管理のための仕組みの導入、内閣官房および内閣府の人材確保のための仕組みの確立、多様な人材の確保および能力・実績等に応じた処遇の徹底と退職管理の適正化を課題として掲げ、これらについて引き続き検討を行うとしていた（48条）。これらの課題に対応するために、この間、国家公務員法の改正が行われた。2007年3月、「公務員制度改革について」が閣議決定され、これを受けて、能力・実績主義による人事管理の徹底や、再就職に対する規制と監視を導入する改正がなされた。地方公務員法においても、同内容の法改正が2014年に行われた。2014年の国家公務員法の改正では、幹部職員人事の一元管理を行うための制度が導入されるとともに、内閣総理大臣補佐官および大臣補佐官の創設などに加え、幹部職員人事の一元管理に関する事務や公務員制度の企画立案に関する事務などを担う内閣人事局が創設されることとなった。

［山田健吾　2017年7月19日］