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Ministries of Japan

The or are the most influential part of the executive branch of the Government of Japan. Each ministry is headed by a Minister of State appointed by the Prime Minister. In postwar politics, the posts of ministers have been given to senior legislators, mostly of the LDP. However, few ministers serve for more than one or two years to develop the necessary grasp of the organisation to become really influential. Thus, most of the power lies within the ministries, with the senior bureaucrats.

The current 15 Cabinet-level ministries of the Government of Japan include:

  • the Cabinet Office (内閣府, Naikaku-fu)
  • 1 Cabinet-level commission (委員会, Ä«nkai)
  • 2 Cabinet-level agencies (官庁, kanchō)
  • 11 ministries (省, shō)

The Board of Audit of Japan is responsible for ensuring the adequacy of the Government's financial management by continuously auditing and supervising government activities, and verifying expenditures and revenues of the state.

List of ministries

Ministries in the Empire of Japan

Pre-2001 Central Government Reform

  • Prime Minister's Office (総理府, Sōri fu)
  • National Public Safety Commission (国家公安委員会, Kokka kōan iinkai)
  • National Police Agency (警察庁, Keisatsu chō)
  • Financial Reconstruction Commission (金融再生委員会, Kin-yÅ« saisei iinkai)
  • Management and Coordination Agency (総務庁, Sōmu chō)
  • Hokkaido Development Agency (北海道開発庁, Hokkaidō kaihatsu chō)
  • Defense Agency (防衛庁, Bōei chō)
  • Economic Planning Agency (経済企画庁, Keizai kikaku chō)
  • Science and Technology Agency (科学技術庁, Kagaku gijutsu chō)
  • Environment Agency (環境庁, Kankyō chō)
  • Okinawa Development Agency (沖縄開発庁, Okinawa kaihatsu chō)
  • National Land Agency (国土庁, Kokudo chō)
  • Ministry of Justice (法務省, Hōmu shō)
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外務省, Gaimu shō)
  • Ministry of Finance (大蔵省, Ōkura shō)
  • Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (文部省, Monbu shō)
  • Ministry of Health and Welfare (厚生省, Kōsei shō)
  • Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (農林水産省, Nōrin suisan shō)
  • Ministry of International Trade and Industry (通商産業省, TsÅ«shō sangyō shō)
  • Ministry of Transport (運輸省, Un-yu shō)
  • Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (郵政省, YÅ«sei shō)
  • Ministry of Labour (労働省, Rōdō shō)
  • Ministry of Construction (建設省, Kensetsu shō)
  • Ministry of Home Affairs (自治省, Jichi shō)

Post-2001 Central Government Reform

As a result of the reforms in 2001, many ministries were reformed.

  • The Financial Reconstruction Commission was abolished.
  • Prime Minister's Office + Economic Planning Agency + Okinawa Development Agency = Cabinet Office
  • Management and Coordination Agency + Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications + Ministry of Home Affairs = Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications
  • Science and Technology Agency + Ministry of Education, Science and Culture = Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
  • Ministry of Health and Welfare + Ministry of Labour = Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
  • The Ministry of International Trade and Industry changed its name into "Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry".
  • Hokkaido Development Agency + National Land Agency + Ministry of Transport + Ministry of Construction = Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
  • The Environment Agency was reorganized into "Ministry of the Environment".

As of April 2023

Several other smaller reforms were also made after the larger central government reforms were implemented in 2001.

  • In 2004, the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications, changed its English name into "Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications" (Japanese name was not changed).
  • In 2007, the Defense Agency was reorganized into the "Ministry of Defense".
  • In 2008, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport changed its English name to "Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism" (Japanese name was not changed).
  • In 2012, the Reconstruction Agency was established in the aim of recovery from 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
  • In 2021, the Digital Agency was established in the aim to promote e-government and digital transformation.
  • In 2023, the Children and Families Agency was established.

List of ministers of state

References