Administrative Counselling in Japan
| Date | 01 June 1982 |
| DOI | 10.1177/002085238204800217 |
| Author | The Administrative Management Agency |
| Published date | 01 June 1982 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Administrative Counselling in Japan
UDC : 354.075.8 : 351.96 (52)
by
THE ADMINISTRATIVE
MANAGEMENT AGENCY
I. OUTLINE OF THE SYSTEM
there are 4,789 administrative counsellors sta-
tioned in every city, town and village unit.
In Japan, apart from external control by
They receive complaints and inquiries from
the Diet and the Court, various measures of
citizens in a familiar manner, and make con-
administrative relief have been developed as
tacts with the relevant administrative organs.
a means of internal control of the admin-
istration. Those measures include administra-
3.
The scope of the complaints is wide,
tive counselling, administrative inspection and
ranging from functions of the government’s
the administrative appeals law procedure.
administrative organs, to business operations
of public corporations, and functions of local
Administrative counselling is a system which
government and other bodies delegated or
responds to citizen’s complaints, opinions, and
subsidized by the government.
requests regarding administrative matters, and
attempts to settle individual grievances. Find-
4.
The method of lodging a complaint is
ings obtained in the
informal and
process are utilized to
simple, and citizens have easy
improve the administration. Administrative
access.
It can be done verbally by telephone,
counselling was initiated in 1955 as part of
there being no time limits to the deadline for
administrative inspection in the Administrative
lodging complaints. Since October 1981, a
Management Agency (AMA), and it gained
24-hour telephone service has been established
statutory authority in 1960.
at the AMA
to receive complaints on admin-
istrative matters by telephone calls from the
Since 1961, efforts have been made to con-
people any time during the day. (It is called,
solidate a structure to widely receive the opin-
&dquo; the Emergency Telephone Service for Ad-
ions of the people by means of recruiting
ministrative Complaints &dquo;).
volunteers as Administrative Counsellors from
amongst the citizens.
Since 1975, emphasis
5.
In handling complaints from people
has been placed
about the
on administrative counselling
administration, Administrative Coun-
in urban areas.
sellors act as representatives of the people’s
opinion, in resolving matters with the people’s
Counselling system in ministries, agencies
position in mind.
and local government, have also been steadily
strengthened, and a large number of inquiries
Furthermore, these Administrative Coun-
sellors exercise
are handled.
a constant surveillance over
administrative matters with their knowledge
Administrative counselling by the Admin-
and ability in the field of public administration
istrative Management Agency is a good means
and they strive for improvements by influen-
of gaining the trust of citizens in the civil
cing the administrative inspections of AMA
service. It has the following characteristics :
with their comments and opinions.
1.
The AMA acts as an agency for the
6. The reasons for the occurrence of these
mediation of complaints from citizens in...
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