Anti-amakudari policy has only limited success

The Yomiuri Shimbun

The government's attempt at publicly recruiting nonbureaucrats for executive posts at independent administrative institutions has ended up with only about half the posts filled by private sector officials, and one-third by former central government public servants, it was announced Wednesday.

For the 49 executive posts at 27 independent administrative institutions and corporations with a special semigovernmental status, 24 posts, or 49 percent, were filled by private sector appointees, and 16 (33 percent) were filled by former central government public servants.

The remaining nine (18 percent) have yet to be filled as the government was unable to find candidates other than former public servants suitable for the posts.

The government will readvertise these posts.

Public recruitment for directorial posts is designed to eliminate the so-called amakudari practice of retired high-ranking bureaucrats taking up executive posts at corporations and government-affiliated organizations. As the example of the case of independent administrative institutions shows, it is difficult to fill such executive posts with officials from the private sector alone.

(Jan. 1, 2010)