Democratic societies often have an ombudsman system of ordinary citizens who monitor how local and national tax money is spent.
In Japan, the National Citizens' (Shimin) Ombudsman Network, a confederation of government watchdogs, came into being in 1994. Dedicated Shimin Ombudsman volunteers around the country are sifting through receipts and accounting information in an attempt to create more financial and political transparency.
What does a Shimin Ombudsman do?