The Foreign Ministry plans to oblige officials dispatched to diplomatic missions abroad to submit receipts when claiming management expenses at overseas government establishments in the fiscal 2002 budget, ministry officials said.

Management expenses for diplomatic missions are usually classified as "special operational funds," the remainder of which need not be returned. They can also be carried over to subsequent fiscal years.

But the special operational funds are being criticized as too similar to discretionary funds, which do not require receipts as proof for reimbursement, the officials said.

In the draft fiscal 2002 budget, the ministry set aside some 7.9 billion yen in operational expenses for diplomatic missions abroad, almost the same amount as in fiscal 2001 ending next March, according to the ministry's Financial Affairs Division.

However, the category of special operational funds to support procurement, transportation and other logistic activities at the overseas diplomatic missions will be eliminated next fiscal year.

The money will instead come from funds earmarked for management expenses at the ministry's headquarters in Tokyo and from travel expenses for diplomats posted abroad, the officials said Saturday.

Any remaining money allocated for management of the government establishments will also be returned to state coffers at the end of the fiscal year, they said.

By introducing such measures, the ministry hopes to avoid having its operational fees slashed by financial authorities.

Several scandals involving abuse of the discretionary funds made headlines throughout the year, sparking efforts -- spearheaded by outspoken Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka -- at internally reforming the beleaguered ministry.

To counter the alleged pooling of money at hotels by ministry officials, who admit to padding hotel bills at major diplomatic events, the ministry has decided to pay hotel cancellation fees from the headquarters' operational expenses.

Secret funds for unspecified purposes are meant to cover expenses for classified government activities, such as information gathering, but it has recently been revealed that the funds were routinely used to cover unclassified activities such as parties and the like.