Ministries of Japan

The ministries of Japan are the most influential part of the executive branch of the Japanese government. 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.

Ministries

Main article: Government of Japan § Ministries

Cabinet Office

The Cabinet Office is responsible for handling the day-to-day affairs of the Cabinet. It consists of:

• National Public Safety Commission
• National Police Agency
• Consumer Affairs Agency
• Financial Services Agency
• Fair Trade Commission
• Food Safety Commission
• Imperial Household Agency

Former ministries

Before 2001

• Home Ministry (abolished in 1947)
• Ministry of War (abolished in 1945)
• Ministry of the Navy (abolished in 1945)
• Ministry of Colonial Affairs (Japan) (abolished in 1942)
• Ministry of Greater East Asia (abolished in 1945)

2001 Central Government Reform

As a result of the Central Government Reform in 2001, many ministries were reformed.

• Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) (merged into Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)
• Ministry of Construction (merged into Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)
• Ministry of Transport (merged into Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)
• Ministry of Home Affairs (merged into Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications)
• Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (divided into Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and Japan Post)
• Ministry of Education (merged into Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology)
• Ministry of Health and Welfare (merged into Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
• Ministry of Labor (merged into Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)

List of Ministers of State

• Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications (総務大臣).
• Minister of Justice (法務大臣)
• Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Measures for Declining Birthrate (内閣府特命担当大臣- 青少年育成及び少子化対策)
• Minister for Foreign Affairs (外務大臣)
• Minister of Finance (財務大臣)
• Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (文部教育大臣)
• Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働大臣)
• Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (農林水産大臣)
• Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (経済産業大臣)
• Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (国土交通大臣)
• Minister of the Environment (環境大臣)
• Minister of Defense (防衛大臣)
• Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs (内閣府特命担当大臣- 沖縄及び北方対策)
• Chief Cabinet Secretary (内閣官房長官)
• Minister of State for Gender Equality (内閣府特命担当大臣: 男女共同参画)
• Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission (国家公安委員会委員長)
• Minister of State for Disaster Management (内閣府特命担当大臣- 防災)
• Minister of State for National Emergency Legislation (内閣府特命担当大臣- 有事法制担当)
• Minister of State for Financial Policy (内閣府特命担当大臣- 金融)
• Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy (内閣府特命担当大臣- 経済財政政策)
• Minister of State for Privatization of the Postal Services (内閣府特命担当大臣- 郵政民営化担当)
• Minister of State for Regulatory Reform (内閣府特命担当大臣- 規制改革)
• Minister of State for Industrial Revitalization Corporation of Japan (内閣府特命担当大臣- 産業再生機構)
• Minister of State for Administrative Reform (内閣府特命担当大臣- 行政改革担当)
• Minister of State for Special Zones for Structural Reform (内閣府特命担当大臣- 構造改革特区)
• Minister of State for Regional Revitalization (内閣府特命担当大臣- 地域再生担当)
• Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy (内閣府特命担当大臣- 科学技術政策)
• Minister of State for Food Safety (内閣府特命担当大臣- 食品安全)
• Minister of State for Information Technology (内閣府特命担当大臣- 情報通信技術（IT）担当)