June 6, 2001
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs

With globalization accelerating, diplomatic activities have increasingly been diversified. No diplomacy could be done without public understanding and support. Keeping it in mind, efforts should be made to change the consciousness of the members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through, among other things, continuous training and exchanges with the private sector. Consular services, the primary contact point with the public, must be reformed drastically and more information must be provided to the public. In an effort to make the Ministry more open to the public, a panel of third party experts will be organized.

1. Thorough change in the consciousness of the ministry staff
   • A code of practice will be drawn up by the end of fiscal 2001 to meet the changing needs and requirements of diplomats in the era of globalization.
   • Beginning fiscal 2002, those staff who fall under categories of higher diplomatic service officers and of specialists are required, in principle, to serve at consular sections for about one year following the overseas training, so that they can have more opportunities to serve directly for the public.
   • Acting on the law concerning exchanges between government and private sector employees, foreign service staff will be sent to private companies and NGOs on secondment, and attend their mid-term and short training programs so that Ministry employees can learn the viewpoints of the private sector.
   • Ministry staff are encouraged to take part in training programs organized by the National Personnel Authority in which employees of private companies also participate. The Ministry itself will organize a variety of seminars and other programs to promote changes in the consciousness of its staff.

2. Thorough reforms of consular services
   • Consular services for ensuring the safety of the Japanese nationals residing or visiting overseas and promoting their interests is one of the two major duties of the Ministry, along with diplomacy. Based upon this perception, senior officials, both at home and abroad, should take the initiative in changing the mentality of colleagues, improving the day-to-day consular services and expanding safety measures for Japanese nationals abroad. To this end, systems of the Ministry and its overseas establishments should be improved and strengthened.
   • The Ministry will work out procedures to adopt the public requests and opinions concerning easier public access to consular and administrative services, and learn the user-oriented approaches from the private sector. Based upon those measures and utilizing information technologies, administrative procedures, including visa issuance, will be simplified and made more efficient. Consular services at windows as well as those after office hours should be improved. Policies and measures will be implemented for promoting the interests and well being of Japanese nationals living abroad after learning the public needs of the day. Collaboration with local governments in Japan will be facilitated so that people can have easier access to consular and administrative services, including issuance of passports.
   • Taking into account diversified activities of Japanese nationals abroad that have been getting riskier, crisis management should be upgraded. Hub offices abroad will be designated in every region to address crises. Rapid deployment systems are to be developed to respond to emergencies by upgrading both personnel and equipment through training and deployment of experts.
   • Measures, including those to increase consular officials with expertise in quality and quantity, will be taken to drastically improve consular services.
   • Outsourcing will be further promoted to strengthen the systems.

3. Expansion of information services
   • Information on political, economic and social conditions of foreign countries as well as country risks, provided by Websites of the Ministry and its offices abroad, will be improved in its quality, quantity and speed. The Ministry's Websites should be accessible by "i-Mode" of cell phones and be made further barrier-free.
   • More information on foreign policy will be provided to the public. With a view to promoting exchanges of view and opinions with the public, a variety of programs including lectures and presentations by Ministry officials will be worked out. By so doing, direct contacts with the people within and outside the Ministry can be increased and intensified.
   • Support to Japanese companies operating overseas through "windows for support to Japanese companies in offices abroad" will be expanded.
   • Disclosure of information will be stepped up to make the Ministry more transparent to the public.

4. Establishment of the panel for making the ministry more open to the public
   • A panel made up of outside experts will soon be established. The panel meets every three months and reviews, from viewpoints of outsiders, opinions and complaints of the people, including those within the ministry, and submits reports to the foreign minister, accommodating those public opinions.
   • The secretariats of the panel will be placed under the inspection department to be mentioned in section IV.

II. Implementation of effective and efficient diplomatic logistics

With more foreign dignitaries visiting Japan and more Japanese senior officials visiting foreign countries, logistical support for VIP visits should be streamlined. For that purpose, organizational changes within the Ministry should be carried out, and services concerning provision of logistical support for Japanese VIPs visiting abroad should be reviewed.

1. Application of international standards to logistical support to overseas visits by Japanese VIPs and senior officials
   • All of the logistical supports concerning prime and foreign ministers' overseas trips and visiting foreign dignitaries will be integrated under the supervision of the Chief of Protocol. The Ministry is solely responsible for all logistical support, including budgeting and accounting, when the Prime Minister visits abroad. Employees of the Ministry will not touch the remuneration budget of the Cabinet secretariat.
   • Guidelines of logistical support to overseas trips of high-ranking officials, including the Prime Minister, should be worked out in accordance with international standards. The administrative support and budgeting must be streamlined and the size of the delegation for such visits should be curtailed drastically. Local logistical support provided by the government's overseas offices are also to be simplified.
   • Measures to streamline accounting, including handling of cancellation fees and deposits, will be worked out as soon as possible. It is also necessary to discuss and decide if corporate cards should be introduced.

2. Review of provision of logistical support for Japanese VIPs visiting abroad
   • The current guidelines for the provision of logistical support should be reviewed and disclosed to the public in order to earn their understanding.
   • Government's overseas offices and their operations will be reviewed for more efficient operations.
   • The record of provision of logistical support will be included in the list of public disclosure so that the transparency and accountability of the service for the public could be enhanced.

3. Thorough streamlining of administrative work
   • Streamlining of the administrative works, including improvement of the work environment, will be carried out intensively, seeking the advice of outside experts if necessary.
   • Outsourcing, such as translation and logistical support for international conferences, will be further promoted. Flexible work hours meeting the actual work situations should be introduced.

III. Programs for personnel management reforms for most effective diplomacy

It is crucial for effective and efficient diplomacy to enhance fairness, objectivity and transparency in personnel affairs as well as to conduct personnel transfers based upon competence.

1. Appointment by competence under increasing competition
   • Screening of candidates for heads of overseas offices and managerial positions at the head office needs to be strengthened in order to encourage competition among higher diplomatic service officers who will become leaders of the ministry. Competent staff who were employed under other categories than above mentioned should be further appointed to senior positions.
   • Exchanges of personnel with other government ministries and agencies will be promoted, and outside experts, including officials of other government ministries and agencies, should be further appointed to ambassadorial and other senior posts.
   • Position openings should be publicized within the ministry inviting applications for jobs. The procedures for such open appointments should be worked out as soon as possible.
   • The current promotion system should be reviewed and revised to raise the morale of Ministry staff. Abolition of the current system should be included in the options.

2. Enhancement of fairness, objectivity, transparency and predictability in personnel affairs
   • In order to prevent rigidity of personnel management and declining morale as well as to enhance predictability, personnel reshuffles should be conducted regularly, and the term of offices should be fixed. Actual programs to this end should be worked out as soon as possible and put into practice.
   • Typical career paths, from the start of work at the Ministry to retirement, of those other than higher diplomatic service officers should be shown, so that it will become easier for them to establish their own specialty and to work out life plans with enhanced predictability. Appointments and promotions should be done following those paths.

3. Strengthening the personnel management system
   • A new job evaluation system will be introduced as soon as possible making it possible to carry out personnel changes based on ability and performance.
     (1) Prior to conducting job evaluation, in-person interviews are required.
     (2) Necessary study will be conducted with a view to introducing the evaluation of superiors' performances by subordinates.
   • Appointments should not be decided by a handful of senior officials, including heads of overseas offices. The personnel department will be expanded to make it possible to conduct promotions and transfers with Ministry-wide perspectives.
   • In order to offer counseling services concerning problems over appointments, transfers and other personnel matters, office for personnel counseling will be expanded, and services by counselors, male and female, will be available any time.
   • Special attention must be paid to promotion and other personnel matters of female staff. A child-care leave and other systems must be established to bring about a gender-equal society.
   • Personnel affairs should be based upon the principle of reward and punishment, and the commendation system should be further utilized.

4. Expansion of training
   • Training on administrative and consular jobs for those who fall under categories of higher diplomatic service officers and of specialists will be strengthened.
   • Training for middle management, including directors and assistant directors should also be strengthened.
   • Various training, including language training, for the staff other than above, should also be expanded.

IV. Eradication of irregularities and suspicion

In order to restore public confidence in the Ministry, the in-house inspection system should be drastically strengthened. At the same time, the Ministry's structure must be improved to make it possible to conduct effective and efficient operations. As to the remuneration budget, necessary reforms should be made.

1. Strenghtening and expanding the in-house audit and inspection system
   • A new audit and inspection system must be created by expanding the current inspection system covering only overseas government offices to include operations at the Ministry headquarters.
   • A high-ranking position of chief inspector will be created to supervise the total inspection, and the necessary structure should be established under chief inspector. An outside expert will be appointed to chief inspector (whose term of office is now under study and is possibly short). The chief inspector's appointment should be also covered by the current appointment approval system for senior officials.
   • Outside experts will be invited as staff members under the chief inspector. Outside experts including certified accountants should take part in auditing and inspections after they pledge to be bound by confidentiality requirements.
   • In addition to regular and special inspections, inspections without prior notice should also be conducted.

2. Reforms of remuneration budget
   • Spending from the remuneration budget is subject to the approval of Foreign Minister.
   • The Ministry will strive to effectively use and save as appropriate the remuneration budget for fiscal 2001.
   • The Ministry will work to reduce the remuneration budget for fiscal 2002 by moving out some expenses to other budget items, taking into account the past spending records.

V. Other

• In order to strengthen Japan's diplomatic activities in the era of globalization, it is crucial to upgrade diplomatic personnel in quality and quantity. This must be pursued in parallel with reforms.
• Opinions and proposals that were not included in the report of the Foreign Ministry Reform Council, including the findings from the in-house hearings, should be followed up.

(End)

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