 1.Taking ideas from across the ocean
The United States
and Japan are two countries that have had similar experiences over
the past few years, including the way political scandals and economic
woes have affected the issue of governance.
In their book Governance
for a New Century: Japanese Challenges, American Experience,
editors Thomas E. Mann and Sasaki Takeshi note that Japan is embarking
on a new approach to governance, one that emphasizes a collaborative
rather than authoritarian approach. They note several results that
will be seen in everyday life in that country:
- Lifetime commitment
to a specific organization has proven impracticable in the present
day, not only because organizations want a more flexible labor
market but also because people want more choices regarding how
they live.
- Professional groups
and nonprofit organizations are likely to exert greater influence.
Already, the activities of nonprofits and voluntary groups have
become highly visible in various areas.
- The most serious
battlefield of the new governance seems to be the local community,
which has been under the extreme pressure of a rapidly aging society.
To date, the bureaucracy has proven helpless in the face of this
issue, and many Japanese now see governance at the local level
supported by nonprofits as an important agenda.
- The influence
of bureaucrats in the legislative process has lessened.
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