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

sells in London and New York will sell in Tokyo.