The bureaucratic sprinted by bicycle-what to deliver in the middle of the night ... 15:22 on September 12
As Kasumigaseki walks, I occasionally see a sprinting bicycle. It is a bureaucrat who is riding. It feels a little awkward. This seems to be public use, but what is it for? (Maho Arakawa, reporter of Kasumigaseki's real interview team)
Deliver! Answer book
It is said that this bicycle is used by the ministries and agencies to go back and forth between the Diet Library and the Diet House.
There was a bureaucrat who told me, “Bicycles sometimes play an active part at 3 o'clock in the middle of the night.
A bicycle runs through the unpopular late night Kasumigaseki ... a bit surreal. When I asked why, I got this answer.
(Male bureaucrat, 40's) “I use a bicycle late at night in order to deliver the completed written answer to the department in charge of the Diet (Chief Cabinet Office). Printed and set about 30 copies on paper in an envelope I put it in and bring it by hand. "
The answer book “carry” is sometimes a bicycle. This is mainly when a budget committee meeting is held with the Prime Minister.
The parliamentarians have a so-called pre-notification of the question, which conveys the content of the question by the day before, and it is the job of the bureaucrats to make an answer based on that.
Questions are distributed to the ministries according to the contents of the questions to the Prime Minister. It is said that the answer is created overnight and carries the completed answer directly.
Even so, in this era of e-mail and electronic media becoming popular, I think that “delivery” by hand is analog… this bureaucrat speaks like this.
(Male bureaucrat, 40s) “If the budget committee starts at 9:00 am, the explanation of the answer to the prime minister will start at 6:00 am. In the struggle with time, it will be immediately handed over to work. I think it ’s carried directly on paper, and if the result is something with a wrong question or a different paper style, I ’ll go back to the government office and recreate it. ”
By the way, this “paper style” seems to have detailed rules such as the number of lines, number of characters, font size, vertical writing, horizontal writing, etc.
Why is it slow? [Reason 1] Notification time
Listening to the story, I was wondering why it was so late at night. Certainly, the voices that come to “Kasumigaseki Real” are especially stories related to “National Diet Questions” and “Creating Answers”. I hear that the answer is completed at 3am and 4am, and when it's terrible, it is in the morning.
What is the cause? One female bureaucrat cited the time for question notification as the reason.
(Women's bureaucrats and 30s) “Some legislators ask questions two days before the Diet, but some legislators give notifications at 9 or 10pm the night before, or when the date is likely to change. In one lesson, questions can range from 20-30, and when that happens, you are ready to stay ... "
In the first place, this “Notice of Question” is not clearly stated in the law, but now it is decided to “put out by noon two days before deliberation” as a rule between ruling and opposition parties.
It seems that the purpose of facilitating the deliberations of the Diet is to “correct the excessive overtime work of the national civil servants”, but it seems that the bureaucracy actually feels that it is hardly protected .
Why is it slow? [Reason 2] Spectacular “Furimeme”
In addition, Kasumigaseki was another factor that slowed down time. It is a so-called “sorting battle” inside and outside the government office.
(Female bureaucrat, 30's) “I can tell which department of which ministry is in charge of the notified question. Say“ Furi-Mome ”or“ Vari-Mome ”. In other words, it ’s “Nassing together”, but anyway, I refuse to do anything!
I heard the same story in several ministries. In many cases, the general affairs department and the top department of the department enter as the arbitration of the department that is worrisome, and it seems that each other's case is “judging” and making a final decision. Theoretical armament of "Isn't it worth receiving?" They looked up past answers, and they seemed to fight each other violently, saying, “Similar cases are written by the otaku section” or “You should write!”
It is not uncommon to spend one or two hours just for this discussion, and it is sometimes possible to go around midnight to finalize. I feel that it is quite inefficient from the end.
The previous female bureaucrat shouted and said:
(Women bureaucrats and 30s) "The reason for fighting so far is to avoid making precedents. Once you have undertaken, you have to accept it again. But I think it ’s really barren and it ’s a waste of time… ”
Who is it all about?
It seems that the exchange of questions about the Diet has a considerable influence on the background of Kasumigaseki's severe long working hours.
The “Furi-Mome” just mentioned is probably a problem of Kasumigaseki itself, but bureaucrats say that “the question is late is the opposition party member, and the answer is thrown in the ruling party.” How is it actually?
We will continue to report. Please share your thoughts and experiences of bureaucrats.
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