Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, July 23, 2002
Japanese Government to Review 'Amakudari' Practice
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Tuesday ordered a review aimed at halting the "amakudari" practice, which is widely regarded as a source of corruption, Kyodo News reported.
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Tuesday ordered a review aimed at halting the "amakudari" practice, which is widely regarded as a source of corruption, Kyodo News reported.
Koizumi's order issued at a cabinet meeting is aimed at eradicating "amakudari" ,in which some senior government employeesretire early to join corporations linked with their ministries or agencies, according to Kyodo.
The practice, which means "descent from heaven" in Japanese, is widely considered to be a source of corruption as retired civil servants land jobs and typically try to obtain favors from governmental bureaus on behalf of their new employers.
Many high placed government officials retire in their early 50s,before the mandatory retirement age of 60, to join such corporations.
As of December 1 last year, more than 540 former senior government officials who retired in 2001 had been hired by companies or public corporations related to the ministries and agencies they had worked for, according to an annual government report.
Koizumi ordered a review of such early retirement practice so that senior government officials will work longer, thus preventingthem from landing such cushy jobs, Kyodo said.