Most government ministries and agencies are urging caution and "careful study" of a proposal to hand nonpolicy government duties over to quasi-governmental organizations in order to streamline the government, according to reports released June 18.
The reluctance of the government bodies was conveyed in their separate written reports to Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto's Administrative Reform Council. The council is soliciting opinions on the establishment of corporationlike bodies to handle such minor duties as issuing driver's licenses and passports, and ratification of land ownership documents -- all duties now handled by the central government.
The council considers the plan to be its most realistic option for improving efficiency. Most of the 12 ministries, nine agencies and a number of other governmental bodies said they would view the proposal as "one idea" by the council in its efforts to make government smaller and more efficient, but added that more careful examination is needed.