KOCHI -- The Kochi Prefectural Government on April 14 said it will extract the nationality clause from its guidelines for the employment of prefectural workers, except for certain positions.
While Kochi is the first prefecture to make such a move, the prefectural governments of Kanagawa and Osaka, are also considering similar measures. The municipal government of Kobe has already pulled the clause from its guidelines.
Kochi's personnel committee said that Japanese nationality is required for certain positions that may involve the exercise of "public authority" and the creation of "public will," and thus concluded that non-Japanese residents will only be able to fill positions that do not come under these definitions. It said that even when promoting non-Japanese to such positions, long periods of time are required and the standards for the job may change over time.
An outline for positions available to non-Japanese was put off at this point because the committee wanted to leave the matter to the both the governor and the personnel committee if problems come up, the officials said.