Opinion Untangling the red tape By Tony Laszlo	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
お役所仕事への対処法 遅いわりに細かいことにうるさいお役所仕事には、以下に挙げた5つの対応策を実践して、 スムーズな処理を期待してみよう。

One of our readers in Oita Prefecture wrote in after reading my recent essay on national civil servants in Japan, to ask about how their counterparts abroad are perceived.

Well, I haven't made a formal study, but I think it is safe to wager that bureaucrats are bureaucrats wherever you go, more or less universally disdained, envied and appreciated - probably in that order.

Here are a few steps that people can take to make their dealings with them go more smoothly.

Be polite. On the whole, bureaucrats really are a very capable, knowledgeable and diligent bunch. For these traits alone, they deserve our respect. Giving it to them will usually make the whole interaction go much more smoothly.

Get a taxpayer mentality. Make no mistake - these people are human. They can be wrong, lazy, mean, inexperienced and hungover, just like the rest of society. If the "public servants" are giving poor service, there is nothing wrong with expecting more for the taxes you are paying. After all, there are few things more frustrating than taking time off work to visit a government office only to be told you'll have to come back again, for no good reason. It is your time that is being lost. Just as demanding consumers make for better corporations, demanding taxpayers make for better bureaucrats.

Be prepared. Confirm the necessary procedures by phoning ahead first, and see how things are done at other similar offices. Don't be afraid to ask simple questions like, "Will either a driver's license or an insurance certificate serve as proof of identity?" You don't have to be as knowledgeable as the bureaucrats, but knowing a bit about what is and is not possible gives you some ground to stand on.

Get the name. When you learn the name of the bureaucrat - either by looking at a nametag or by asking - you humanize the person. This will allow you to move from a "Me vs. The System" to a "Me vs. Mr. or Ms. X" mentality. Service generally improves when the individual on the other side of the counter knows that you know his or her name. This is true of the private sector, as well.

Get it in writing. If a bureaucrat tells you that you have to try again tomorrow, or otherwise erects an unexpected hurdle in your path, don't give up so easily. If you are quite sure that what you are requesting can be done and suspect that the person is being lazy, too nitpicky, or both, ask to see the precise passage in the policy books that is tying things up. Better yet, get a copy of it. If that is not forthcoming, you might even ask for the reason in the bureaucrat's own handwriting.

I can't count the number of times the people in charge suddenly and "magically" came up with a way to process my request when faced with having to present the reason for dismissing it. Especially when I showed evidence that a similar request had been complied with before. What bureaucrat can resist the power of precedent?!

DISCLAIMER: These techniques should only be considered when making a legitimate request and should never be employed to push through an unreasonable one. Happy traipsing through the red tape.

Shukan ST: April 2, 2004

(C) All rights reserved