Chapter IX. Other Activities
Section 1. Upgrading of Diplomacy Machine
Diplomatic activities described in the preceding chapters and sections are supported by 3,968 staff and employees (at the end of fiscal 1986) at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo and 170 diplomatic establishments overseas (embassies, consulates-general, consulates and government missions).
With the international situation becoming more complicated and severer, it is all the more essential for Japan to pursue a comprehensive and flexible foreign policy. The Foreign Ministry, therefore, has continuously been striving to improve and upgrade the foreign policy setup in all areas, from administrative improvement at the home ministry and diplomatic offices abroad and the raising of the fixed number of ministry staff to the advanced training of employees and higher efficiency.
1. Organization and Payroll
(1) Under its fiscal 1987 budget, the Foreign Ministry is to set up a low-level post, the Commissioner General of the International Garden and Greenery Exposition, Osaka, Japan, 1990, together with three senior assistants and and two regional coordinators, both of which are ministerial ordinance level post. Also, the duration of a cabinet ordinance post, the Assistant to the Economic Affairs Bureau, shall be extended for five more years.
The Ministry is to establish a new embassy in Bahrain.
As a result, the number of Japanese diplomatic establishments overseas will be 171 at the end of fiscal 1987 (106 embassies, 59 consulates-general, two consulates and five permanent government missions to international organizations.
(2) Having in mind that an increase of the personnel is essential for the improvement and upgrading of foreign service, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formulated "The Plan for the Increase of the Personnel up to 5,000" and has been making efforts for its realization. Putting particular emphasis on the upgrading of the function of the following fields; gathering and analysis of information, economy and economic cooperation, administrative support of activities of overseas establishments, public information and cultural exchange, and consular administration (including protection of Japanese nationals abroad), the Ministry managed to achieve the increase of the staff by 137 in fiscal 1987; 33 at the home ministry and 104 at overseas posts (the net increase of 92 if the reduction of 45 under the personnel ceiling cut program is counted). In spite of the strict limitation of the staff and the budget, such an increase was made possible owing to the deeper understanding among various quarters concerned about the need for the upgrading of the diplomatic service.
Consequently, by the end of fiscal 1987 the number of the personnel will reach 4,060 (1,663 at the home ministry and 2,397 at overseas posts), going over the 4,000 level.
2. Staff Training
(1) Training at the Foreign Service Training Institute
The Institute provided initial training to those officials who joined the Ministry in fiscal 1986 (67 who passed in fiscal 1985 the Higher Diplomatic Examination, the Higher Civil Service Examination or the Foreign Service Specialist Officer Examination as well as 70 who passed the National Public Service Examination (Grade-III)). Training was also provided at the Institute for 120 attaches from other ministries and agencies and 231 Foreign Ministry employees who were to be posted in foreign countries shortly (pre-posting training) as well as for 332 wives of these officials. "Intermediate language training" was provided for 39 home office employees with the qualification of the National Public Service Examination (Grade-III), while 29 who were back home on leave received intermediate training to update their knowledge of the current domestic issues. Those two types of intermediate training started in fiscal 1985. Also given were language training for the staff to be posted in countries whose language is spoken in a very limited number of countries and composition correspondence courses for the home office staff. The Ministry intends to continue upgrading above-mentioned training, particularly pre-posting and intermediate training.
(2) Training Overseas
The Ministry sent for training 198 officials to foreign universities and other institutions for two or three years. They were the officials who passed the Higher Diplomatic Service Examination or the Foreign Service Specialist Office Examination in fiscal 1982-1984.