Japanese Government Essay, Research Paper
Comparative Government Report: Japan
Japan is a first world, industrialized nation. They are
considered an economic super-power. Japan has so small of
a problem with poverty that they can afford to give money to
neighboring nations who need help. Japan recently gave China
the equivalent of $1 Billion to help combat poverty in China.
Japan?s poverty rate is so miniscule, every single source
has Japan?s poverty rate listed at NA%. However, it is known
that there are some homeless people in Japan that the Japanese
government tries to lend a helping hand.
In Japan, there are many government-sponsored programs.
The programs and agencies are divided up between several parts
of the cabinet, including the Cabinet Legislation Bureau, the
National Personnel Authority, the Prime Minister?s Office,
the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education, Science,
Sports and Culture, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry
of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Transport, the
Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the Ministry of Labor,
the Ministry of Construction, and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The bulk of the government-sponsored programs, along with many of
the more important ones fall under the Prime Minister?s Office.
These programs include the Fair Trade Commission, the National
Public Safety Commission, the Environmental Dispute Coordination
Commission, the Imperial Household Agency, the Management
and Coordination Agency, the Hokkaido Development Agency, the
Defense Agency, the Defense Facilities Administration Agency,
the Economic Planning Agency, the Science and Technology Agency,
the Environment Agency, the Okinawa Development Agency, and the
National Land Agency.
The Fair Trade Commission is one of the programs that deal
with trade.
The Fair Trade Commission?s main functions are to enforce the Antimonopoly
Act, the Subcontract Act, and the Premiums and Representation Act.
However, the main government program that deals with foreign trade is
the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Also under the Prime Minister?s Office is the Economic Planning
Agency. The Economic Planning Agency does extensive research
on businesses and industries and then plans economic policies.
Most of these developed policies are long-term policies and
the Economic Planning Agency researches domestic and overseas
industries and businesses.
The Environment Agency is similar to the Environmental Protection
Agency in the U.S. The Environment Agency works to improve air
quality, water quality, prevention of pollution and conservation.
They are different from the Environmental Dispute Coordination
Commission in that the Environmental Dispute Coordination
Commission focuses on disputes with businesses and people on
environmental issues.
Perhaps the most widely known of the parts of the Japanese cabinet
is the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. This ministry was
formerly known as Ministry of International Trade and Industry
(MITI). They deal with foreign trade, the Basic Industries
Bureau, the Machinery and Information Industries, and Consumer
Goods and Service Industries.
Like many industrialized nations, Japan is a major importer and
exporter. Japan exports mainly motor vehicles, semiconductors,
office machinery and chemicals. Japan imports mainly fuels,
foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles and office machinery.
Japanese goods seem to sell easier in the U.S. then American
goods do in Japan. Many economists say that this is because
of the left-hand stereotype: Some businesses believe that what