Send message to Author

Paper short abstract

This paper examines the influence of policy advisors on selected socio-economic strategies in Japan. Contrary to conventional wisdom, which attributes these policies mainly to the bureaucrats, it is argued that the analyzed strategies were elaborated by the closest entourage of prime ministers.

Paper long abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine the influence of policy advisors on three socio-economic strategies in Japan: Income-Doubling Plan of the 1960s, Garden-City Concept of the 1970s, and Administrative and Financial Reforms of the 1980s. Contrary to conventional wisdom, which attributes formulation and implementation of these policies mainly to the bureaucrats representing entrenched interests of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, National Land Agency, or Ministry of Finance, it is argued that all three strategies were to a great extent elaborated by the closest entourage of prime ministers Ikeda Hayato, Ōhira Masayoshi, Suzuki Zenkō, and Nakasone Yasuhiro. Based on decision-making method, the paper highlights the role played by policy advisors – scholars, reform-minded bureaucrats and businesspersons, such as Shimomura Osamu, Kōyama Ken’ichi and Dokō Toshio, in inspiring the heads of government with clear policy visions and providing them with data necessary to effectively conduct inter-ministerial coordination. Research is based on memoirs of politicians and administrative officials, policy documents, as well as articles and books published by policy advisors.

Keywords: socio-economic strategies, policy advisors, decision-making process