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The DPJ Administrative Reform Research Committee met on July 25 at DPJ Headquarters to implement a DPJ-led budget review. The meeting addressed the following four areas: 1) projects to promote overseas exchange and convey information overseas, 2) biomass-related projects, 3) smart systems-related projects, and 4) projects to assist new graduates in finding employment. These areas were selected because a number of ministries and agencies are implementing similar projects and programs. The meeting sought opinions and assessments from DPJ Diet members and external experts on whether rigidly compartmentalised bureaucratic structures are creating undue expenditures and whether projects could be integrated to make more effective use of budgets. The ultimate aim of the meeting is to see its evaluation results reflected in budget requests for next fiscal year.
This was the first time for the DPJ to implement its own budget review since the change of government in 2009. Priority was given to ensuring “full disclosure and openness,” which is a characteristic of the budget review process. Accordingly, members of the press and public who registered in advance were invited to attend the meeting, and proceedings were streamed live on the internet.
In the opening ceremony, which started from 9:00 a.m., Administrative Reform Research Committee Chair Kansei Nakano made the following statement: “Administrative reform is a priority issue that we must advance in tandem with the comprehensive reform of the social security and taxation system. In April, legislators sponsored draft legislation for implementing administrative reform submitted by the ruling parties. This draft legislation aims to place the Cabinet at the helm of administrative reform and have it engage in full-fledged, thorough actions to review and revise all administrative-related areas that require attention. We will spare no effort to ensure that this draft bill can be passed during the current Diet session.”
With regard to the purpose and significance of the DPJ-led budget review, Nakano explained the following: “Even if all ministries examine and review the projects and budgets that are under their own jurisdiction, there is no facility to implement inter-ministry cross-checks in order to ascertain whether multiple ministries and agencies are engaging in projects with similar policy purposes. The party, therefore, will implement such cross-checks and identify and flag the similar projects being undertaken at different ministries.”
This budget review process will be completed prior to the budget request submission period for next fiscal year’s budget at the end of August. Based on the results of the review, the DPJ plans to formulate recommendations and ensure that these are properly reflected in budget requests.
The meeting was attended by Members of the House of Representatives Norihiko Fujita, Yasuhiro Okada, Hiroki Hanasaki and external experts for its morning session; and by Members of the House of Representatives Yuichiro Tamaki, Rintaro Ogata, Yuichi Goto, Member of the House of Councillors Shinkun Haku and external experts for its afternoon session.
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