ABSTRACT
The DPJ’s 2009 election manifesto proclaimed “true politics means setting priorities in policy-making and in spending.” Furthermore, “based on this new scale of priorities, we will rework the budget and focus the use of taxpayers’ money on childrearing and education, on pensions and medical care, on regional sovereignty, and on employment and the economy” (DPJ 2009). To do so, the DPJ promised to establish a “National Strategy Bureau” to formulate the budgetary framework and an “Administrative Reform Council” to review the budget and budgetary system, and employ new “Cabinet Committees” for coordination.1 In the manifesto’s subsections pertaining to the budget and the system of accounts, the DPJ called for the review or elimination of special accounts of the government, independent administrative agencies and public service corporations. The DPJ also promised to establish a “Government Procurement Oversight Commission,” review all government contracts, make a full public disclosure of the budget process and introduce a legal requirement for the submission of financial statements to the Diet. Finally, the DPJ proposed a mechanism for reviewing the effectiveness of tax expenditures.
