Mr. Hatoyama's bold move
(From The Japan Times Feb. 12 issue)

首相の大胆な枝野行政刷相起用

In a bold and surprising move, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama Feb. 10 appointed Mr. Yukio Edano, a 45-year-old Democratic Party of Japan Lower House member, as administrative reform minister. Mr. Edano, well versed in policy matters, is highly qualified as a government waste-cutter. His joining the Cabinet will not only lighten the burden of Mr. Yoshito Sengoku, who has doubled as administrative reform minister and national strategy minister, but also help strengthen the Cabinet's overall ability to implement policy measures.

In a post he held last year, Mr. Edano oversaw the scrutinizing of fiscal 2010 budget requests, an activity carried out under the Government Revitalization Unit. As a Cabinet minister, he will now effectively head this unit. Beyond utilizing Mr. Edano's abilities, Mr. Hatoyama must also be hoping that the appointment will help dispel the popular perception that his administration is under the control of DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa.

Mr. Edano is known for taking a critical stance against Mr. Ozawa. He said Feb. 8 that Mr. Ozawa should resign as DPJ secretary general if he fails to give a proper explanation of the details surrounding the indictment of three of his aides on charges of falsifying political funds reports.

Mr. Hatoyama had earlier planned to appoint Mr. Edano as his special advisor, but this plan never materialized. Mr. Ozawa's opposition was suspected. As to the decision to make Mr. Edano administrative reform minister, Mr. Hatoyama has said that Mr. Ozawa told him, "I have no objection at all." Mr. Hatoyama can take this as a positive sign for his relationship with Mr. Ozawa, the effective head of the DPJ.

Mr. Edano said he will start a new round of waste-cutting measures in April. Independent administrative agencies and government-affiliated public-service corporations will be the main targets. These bodies often intervene in the distribution of budget money, which inevitably causes waste. Mr. Edano has only two months left. He should make careful preparations so that funding allocations can be properly scrutinized and real progress made toward overcoming bureaucrats' vested interests.

政策通の枝野衆院議員の行政刷新相への抜擢で、同相を兼任していた仙石国家戦略相の負担が軽減され、内閣の政策実行力増強が見込まれる。昨年、行政刷新会議の事業仕分けで統括役を務めた氏が同会議の担当大臣となる。鳩山首相は氏の能力を生かすとともに、｢小沢支配｣の政権というイメージを打ち消す意向だろう。

枝野氏は、元秘書らが政治資金虚偽記載の罪で起訴された事件で小沢幹事長続投に異論を唱えるなど、｢反小沢」的態度をとってきた。今回の任命に小沢氏は反対せず、首相は事実上の党首との関係が改善されたとみていいだろう。

枝野氏は、予算配分に関与し無駄を生んできた独立行政法人や公益法人を主な対象とした事業仕分けを4月に開始すると発表。適切な事業仕分けがされ、官僚の既得権が覆されるよう、今後2ヵ月で十分に準備することが必要だ。