Special corporation - tokushuhojin

A general term for corporations established under special or individual fundamental laws to carry out business on behalf of government ministries and agencies for the public interest or for the needs of implementing national policies. They vary widely, but are broadly divided into government-affiliated, government-local joint, and partially public enterprises (public-private joint ventures). Government-affiliated corporations include the Japan Private School Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation and the Okinawa Development Finance Corporation, but there are also associations (Japan Broadcasting Corporation: NHK) and universities (The Open University of Japan). Previously, there were public corporations (such as the Japan Highway Public Corporation), government-affiliated banks (such as the Development Bank of Japan), and promotion societies (such as the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science), but due to the reform of special corporations, all of these became independent administrative agencies or special companies (joint stock companies). The government-local joint ventures included some public corporations (such as the Urban Development Corporation) and the Teito Rapid Transit Corporation (the Teito Rapid Transit Corporation), but in April 2004, the Teito Rapid Transit Corporation was privatized to become Tokyo Metro Co., Ltd. (Tokyo Metro), and the Teito Rapid Transit Corporation ceased to exist as a corporation. Also, in July of the same year, the Urban Development Corporation was merged with the local city development and improvement department of the Regional Development Corporation to become the Urban Renaissance Agency, an independent administrative institution, and is no longer a special corporation. Partially public enterprises include special companies (such as the New Kansai International Airport Company Ltd.) and the Bank of Japan.

While public corporations are protected by the government's investment and loans, tax exemptions, etc., they are subject to special supervision over the appointment and dismissal of executives and management. The number of public corporations is on the decline due to consolidation and privatization as a result of administrative reform, but they continue to face criticism for their opaque management, preserving bad businesses, being a breeding ground for amakudari (a type of government official who has been appointed to a government position), and suppressing private businesses.

[Mitsuo Morimoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

公共の利益あるいは国家の政策実施上の必要から、政府省庁にかわって事業を行わせるため、それぞれの特別法あるいは個別の根拠法によって設立された法人の総称。内容はかなり多様であるが、政府系、政府地方共同系、および部分公企業系（公私合同企業）に大別される。政府系は、事業団（日本私立学校振興・共済事業団）、公庫（沖縄振興開発金融公庫）があるが、これら以外に、協会（日本放送協会：NHK）、学園（放送大学学園）などの形態がある。以前は、公団（日本道路公団など）、政府系銀行（日本政策投資銀行など）、振興会（日本学術振興会など）などの形態も存在したが、特殊法人改革により、これらはすべて独立行政法人や特殊会社（株式会社）となった。政府地方共同系には、一部の公団（都市基盤整備公団など）と営団（帝都高速度交通営団）があったが、2004年（平成16）4月、帝都高速度交通営団は民営化されて東京地下鉄株式会社（東京メトロ）となり、営団という形態はなくなった。また同年7月、都市基盤整備公団は地域振興整備公団の地方都市開発整備部門と統合され、独立行政法人都市再生機構となり特殊法人でなくなっている。部分公企業系には、特殊会社（新関西国際空港株式会社など）や日本銀行がある。

　特殊法人に対しては、政府による出資・融資、課税免除などの保護がある反面、役員の任免、経営について特別の監督を受ける。特殊法人は、行政改革による統廃合や民営化で減少する傾向にあるが、経営内容の不透明さ、不良事業の温存、天下りの温床、民業圧迫等の批判が絶えない。

［森本三男］

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