2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
The Role of the Cabinet Secretariat in Japan's Foreign Policy Decision Making.
| Project/Area Number |
16530112
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
International relations
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| Research Institution | International University of Japan |
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Principal Investigator |
SHINODA Tomohito International University of Japan, Research Institute, Professor, 研究所, 教授 (80278043)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2004 – 2006
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| Keywords | Japanese Foreign Policy / Japanese Politics / Decision Making / National Security / International Politics |
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| Research Abstract |
This study analyzes the role of the Cabinet Secretariat in Japan's foreign policy decision making. Lately, the Secretariat role has become more important role in the domestic policy areas, elevating the position of the chief cabinet secretary. His administrative deputy, who act as liaison between the prime minister and the entire bureaucracy, has become very important after the 2001 administrative reform. In particular, the establishment of the appointment conference which approves the appointments of high officials (bureau chiefs and above) of all the ministries changed the power balance between the Secretariat and the ministries. Further, the revised Cabinet Law now provides the authority to draft legislation to the Secretary, strengthening its power to initiate policies.
In the area of national security, important pieces of legislation, such as the 2001 Anti-Terrorism Legislation, the 2003 Emergency Legislation, and the 2003 Iraq Legislation, were enacted by the policy initiative by the Cabinet Secretariat. It is important to note that these policy processes were not traditional bottom-up process, but top-down one. My previous studies, including Kantei Gaiko (2004) and journal articles, have already illustrated this argument. In the FY 2006,I have published two journal articles, and two books on this and related subjects. On March 24,2007,I made a presentation at the Association of Asian Studies (in Boston) on the foreign policy style of Prime Minister Abe, to show the updated survey on this subject.
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