Distinctive features of modern Japanese diplomatic service

Abstract

The present study is an inquiry into the current state of Japanese diplomatic service and its distinctive features. The author makes use of the latest Japanese-language primary and secondary sources in his analysis that are rarely employed in Russian Japanology. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan is the main government body responsible for Japan’s foreign affairs and its diplomatic service. The Ministry’s work is based on a number of laws mostly enacted in the 20th century, though all of them have gone through a series of amendments. Since these laws provide for only a necessary framework with little detail, their implementation lies in the hands of bureaucracy, which allows for a swift response to changes that may occur by adapting the structure of the Ministry and creating ad hoc chambers without amending the basic laws. This is of paramount importance given the turbulent state of global affairs and Japanese leaders’ bid to elevate Japan to a top-tier cohort in the international arena. To address the challenge, the Japanese leadership has made the Foreign Ministry more accountable and dependent on the ruling party and the prime minister, reflecting Prime Minister Abe’s long-standing desire to act with fewer constraints on the side of bureaucracy. At the same time, the Japanese diplomatic service has faced quite a few issues. Over the last decade, new embassies have been established, and their functions have been greatly bolstered, most prominently regarding the support for Japanese companies’ expansion overseas. However, the Ministry’s ranks fail to expand quickly enough to offset the amount of work to be done. The annual intake to the Ministry stands at about 80 ‘generalists’ and ‘specialists.’ The understaffed diplomatic service runs the risks of becoming overwhelmed and thus ineffective. While the leadership is aware of the problem, it is yet unclear how exactly the problem is to be tackled.