A landmark information disclosure law has failed to live up to its promise of increasing the transparency of the nation's scandal-tinged bureaucracy, citizens' groups claim.

Portions of documents pertaining to gifts received by Foreign Ministry officials during fiscal 2000 are blotted out by magic marker.

Monday marked the six-month anniversary of the coming into force of the Law Concerning Access to Information Held by Administrative Organs. The law came in response to mounting public distrust of bureaucrats following a string of scandals.