The Democratic Party of Japan will achieve its policy of 窶弃utting People窶冱 Lives First窶 by eliminating administrative waste.

We will secure the financial resources to realize our 窶弋hree Pledges and Seven Proposals窶 by completely eliminating administrative waste through the issuance of subsidies as lump sums to local governments and the abolishment, in principle, of special public corporations and the special accounts that pertain to them.

Funds That Will Be Gained by Eliminating Waste:

1. Elimination of waste by disbursing subsidies in lump sums: 6.4 trillion yen
   
2. Reduction of administrative expenses by eliminating bid rigging and 窶彗makudari窶 (golden parachute) re-employment of retiring bureaucrats: 1.3 trillion yen
3. Abolition in principle of special public corporations, independent administrative institutions, and the special accounts that pertain to these: 3.8 trillion yen
4. Reduction of total personnel expenses for national civil servants: 1.1 trillion yen
5. Review of the tax system including income tax: 2.7 trillion yen

Achieving Effective Policies by Eliminating a Total of 15.3 Trillion Yen of Waste

Expenditure Required for the Key Policies of the Democratic Party of Japan:

1. Commitment of all consumption tax revenues to the base portion of pensions (13.3 trillion yen [tax revenues from 5 percent consumption tax] 窶 7 trillion yen [current amount of tax revenues allocated to pensions]): 6.3 trillion yen
   
2. Creation of the child allowance: 4.8 trillion yen
3. Elimination of public high school tuition and expansion of scholarship programs: 0.3 trillion yen
4. Adoption of the 窶彿ndividual (household) income support system窶 for agriculture: 1.0 trillion yen
5. Elimination of highway tolls: 1.5 trillion yen
6. Implementation of SME-related measures to facilitate the raising of minimum wages: 1.4 trillion yen

Look at all this administrative waste! The Democratic Party of Japan will eliminate it totally.

The Subsidy System Is Absurd

Miyama Town (today part of Fukui City) in Fukui Prefecture is located in an area that is subject to very heavy snowfall. The town applied to the national government for a subsidy to purchase a snow-melting system for the town roads. But, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport responded, 窶廡or us to issue a subsidy, you also have to build a ski slope. That窶冱 the way the system is set up.窶 Although Miyama Town didn窶冲 want a ski slope, the town built one to receive the subsidy. The addition of the ski slope increased total project costs to 250 million yen, raising the cost to the local government to 100 million yen. However, the ski slope was closed this year after not having been used even once in twelve years!

An Unbelievable 6.4 Trillion Yen in Pension Premiums Has Been Diverted!

The Government Pension Investment Fund diverted pension premiums totalling 370 billion yen to the construction and operation of Greenpia, huge resorts that were to be set up throughout Japan. Due to slipshod management, the resorts were abolished by fiscal 2005. In addition, a total of 1.4 trillion yen was diverted to the construction of hospitals and athletic centres, and most of these are running a deficit. Premiums were also used for golfing and massage equipment for Social Insurance Agency officials. (photo courtesy of Kyodo News)

The National Government Admits It! Improper Accounting Totalled 45.2 Billion Yen! Outrageous!

The Board of Audit of Japan uncovered 473 cases of improper accounting by central government offices and government-affiliated agencies in fiscal 2005, totalling 45.2 billion yen. Even a report by the Board of Audit, a member of the national government 窶彷amily,窶 found a full array of slipshod bureaucratic activities, from raising off-the-book funds and entry-transfer errors in the 100 million yen range to fraudulent claims. In addition to this, more than 4 trillion yen was designated as 窶徠uestionable.窶?/p>

Over 6 Trillion Yen Was Given to Corporations That Participate in 窶廣makudari窶

A total of 27,882 retired central government bureaucrats are reemployed by 4,576 special public corporations, independent administrative institutions, and other corporations. Public funds disbursed to corporations that accept these 窶彗makudari窶 bureaucrats came to 6 trillion yen in a six-month period. Moreover, improper pay-outs to the bureaucrats themselves continue with no end in sight. One example is the many past directors-general of the Social Insurance Agency who cross over to various related public service corporations after they retire, in some cases receiving close to 300 million yen in salary and retirement benefits. ﾂ?