Bureaucratic reform, not just political reform, is urgently needed in Japan. In a nutshell, that is the message of the latest annual government report on the civil service. The report, for the first time, includes government employees' thoughts about themselves, their colleagues and their bosses.
A poll, taken against a backdrop of corruption scandals and policy blunders by bureaucrats, seems to reflect the growing sense of crisis that grips civil servants. In recent months, for instance, Foreign Ministry officials came under public criticism for their collusive ties to Mr. Muneo Suzuki, the influential but disgraced Lower House member who has been indicted for bribery. Before that, the agriculture ministry provoked outrage over its clumsy efforts to prevent mad cow disease.
Bureaucratic reform has been a topic of discussion for some time, both inside and outside the government. But the progress so far has been woefully slow. The report can be used as a basis for in-depth discussions.