May 23, 2012

Mr. Okada's questionable efforts

A discussion group to push for administrative reform was set up under Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada, whose jurisdiction includes administrative reform along with policies to cope with the nation’s low birthrate, promotion of equal social participation by men and women and creation of ...

Apr 12, 2012

Ill-advised hiring cuts

The Noda administration has decided to reduce the number of recruits by government ministries and agencies for fiscal 2013 by 56 percent from the fiscal 2009′s level — that is lower than the 70 percent average reduction Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada asked the ...

Mar 26, 2012

Mr. Okada's pseudo-reform

Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada has directed government ministries to reduce the number of recruits for fiscal 2013 by an average of about 70 percent from fiscal 2009′s level. This is a typical example of the pseudo-reform that the Democratic Party of Japan government ...

Jan 14, 2012

Questionable Cabinet reshuffle

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Friday reshuffled his Cabinet. His main aim is to push a hike in the consumption tax and social welfare reform. To show his strong will, he picked Mr. Katsuya Okada as deputy prime minister and minister in charge of ...

Dec 30, 2010

Mr. Ozawa's new move

Mr. Ichiro Ozawa, former chief of the Democratic Party of Japan, on Tuesday agreed to appear before the Lower House’s Council on Political Ethics and give unsworn testimony over political funds scandals. His decision, ostensibly for the sake of “party unity,” came too late. ...