Abstract
This chapter focuses on the Japanese attempt to digitalise government management. The case discussed is a mechanism commonly known as the “My Number” system, a Social Security and Tax Numbering system utilised in Japan. In the Japanese political and administrative context, the introduction of the “My Number” system is thought to be one of the steps to alleviate the current problem of harmonised information sharing among and between public agencies. Hence, the introduction of this system was part of the government’s efforts to reform and improve the quality of public management, as in the Japanese political environment the digitalisation of government has been an essential segment of administrative reform. It was also believed that the introduction of e-government and other digital tools would enhance transparency and accountability of public administration. Furthermore, it was also thought that digitalisation would help reduce the cost of running the government and the administration. Against this background, the chapter attempts to explore and examine the “My Number” system from three perspectives. First, it assesses the history of digitalisation attempts in Japan. Second, it examines several shortcomings inherent in the numbering system currently in place. And, third, it looks at the government system of personnel management, as the current system is considered an impediment in realising the digitalisation of government services and in improving the quality of public services provided. In sum, the chapter utilises the introduction of the “My Number” system in order to describe the problems that the central government bureaucracy has been facing in the era of digitalisation and the causes behind them.
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- 1.
The Management and Coordination Agency (MCA) was dissolved and became a part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) in 2001. The remarks in this section were from those who used to work for MCA. The interview on April 24, 2018, enabled the authors to collect this information. When the Japanese government would make the official statistical data public, chances are that they were the product of the MCA and no other organisations would extend relevant materials. The MCA produced the formal set of information from its own data source. This remains the case even after the government reform was introduced in 2001. Under the current practice, the Bureau of Management and Coordination in the MIC has become the major provider of statistical data of government.
- 2.
The Home Affairs Ministry was renamed, in 2001, as MIC.
- 3.
A word of caution should be noted at this point. One of the leading public officials who was directly involved in the initiation of the Basic Resident Register Network remarked that there was little conflict with the Finance Ministry. In his observation, the relationships between the Home Affairs and the Finance Ministries remained amicable and mutually supportive. This point is worth noting, although academics tend to highlight the long-standing rivalries between these two Ministries.
- 4.
Under the current regime, natural sciences recruits are classified as “technical officials” (gikan) and their opportunities for promotion are generally more limited than those graduating in social sciences.
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Nakamura, A., Suzuki, K. (2019). Japan’s Attempts to Digitalise Government: An Introduction of “My Number” System in Reforming Public Management. In: Baimenov, A., Liverakos, P. (eds) Public Service Excellence in the 21st Century. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3215-9_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3215-9_5
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