Policy Press
Six Policy analysis and the policy process in Japanese government
Abstract
The introduction or promotion of policy analysis in Japan has been conditioned by Japanese governmental structure and her typical policy process. Japanese government has a strong centrifugal tendency, because political parties are member oriented and dispersed in nature, weak cabinets consist of the representatives of ministries that have high autonomy, and government cannot control the Diet deliberation even if ruling party has majority in both houses. Under this situation, ministerial bureaucracies usually manage to coordinate and formulate policies through incremental adjustment among ministries and politicians. In addition to it, Japanese bureaucrats attach greater importance to legal consistency than to policy analysis. Japanese ministries also intermediate social interests through advisory councils and local governments. Alternative policy inputs to Japanese government, however, have been popular because of poor policy achievement of traditional approach and political change in these years.
Abstract
The introduction or promotion of policy analysis in Japan has been conditioned by Japanese governmental structure and her typical policy process. Japanese government has a strong centrifugal tendency, because political parties are member oriented and dispersed in nature, weak cabinets consist of the representatives of ministries that have high autonomy, and government cannot control the Diet deliberation even if ruling party has majority in both houses. Under this situation, ministerial bureaucracies usually manage to coordinate and formulate policies through incremental adjustment among ministries and politicians. In addition to it, Japanese bureaucrats attach greater importance to legal consistency than to policy analysis. Japanese ministries also intermediate social interests through advisory councils and local governments. Alternative policy inputs to Japanese government, however, have been popular because of poor policy achievement of traditional approach and political change in these years.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of figures and tables vii
- Notes on contributors ix
- Editors’ introduction to the series xi
- Policy analysis in Japan: the state of the art 1
-
Styles and Methods of Policy Analysis in Japan
- Historical background of policy analysis in Japan 15
- Beyond a formal approach? Seeking adequate policy analysis in Japan 27
- Policy research movements in local governments 41
- Policy analysis and normative theory: with a focus on social security policies 57
- Law and public policy in contemporary Japan 73
-
Policy Analysis in Japanese Governments
- Policy analysis and the policy process in Japanese government 91
- In-house think tanks of ministries: their functions and limitations in policy formulation 103
- A policy analysis of the Japanese Diet from the perspective of ‘Legislative Supporting Agencies’ 123
- Councils, policy analysis and policy evaluation 139
- Local governments and policy analysis in Japan after the Second World War 149
-
Parties, Interest Groups and Advocacy-Based Policy Analysis
- Policy analysis and policymaking by Japanese political parties 165
- Business associations and labour unions 185
- Current state of non-profit organizations and the ‘New Public Commons’ 199
- Think tanks and policy analysis: meeting the challenges of think tanks in Japan 215
- Policy analysis in the mass media 235
-
Future Directions of Policy Analysis in Japan
- Policy education in Japan: a study of professional graduate public policy schools 251
- Job market for public policy programme graduates in Japan 271
- Conclusion: future directions of the theory and practice of public policy analysis in Japan 289
- Index 303
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of figures and tables vii
- Notes on contributors ix
- Editors’ introduction to the series xi
- Policy analysis in Japan: the state of the art 1
-
Styles and Methods of Policy Analysis in Japan
- Historical background of policy analysis in Japan 15
- Beyond a formal approach? Seeking adequate policy analysis in Japan 27
- Policy research movements in local governments 41
- Policy analysis and normative theory: with a focus on social security policies 57
- Law and public policy in contemporary Japan 73
-
Policy Analysis in Japanese Governments
- Policy analysis and the policy process in Japanese government 91
- In-house think tanks of ministries: their functions and limitations in policy formulation 103
- A policy analysis of the Japanese Diet from the perspective of ‘Legislative Supporting Agencies’ 123
- Councils, policy analysis and policy evaluation 139
- Local governments and policy analysis in Japan after the Second World War 149
-
Parties, Interest Groups and Advocacy-Based Policy Analysis
- Policy analysis and policymaking by Japanese political parties 165
- Business associations and labour unions 185
- Current state of non-profit organizations and the ‘New Public Commons’ 199
- Think tanks and policy analysis: meeting the challenges of think tanks in Japan 215
- Policy analysis in the mass media 235
-
Future Directions of Policy Analysis in Japan
- Policy education in Japan: a study of professional graduate public policy schools 251
- Job market for public policy programme graduates in Japan 271
- Conclusion: future directions of the theory and practice of public policy analysis in Japan 289
- Index 303
