Japan Govt to Overhaul National Policy Unit

Tokyo, Oct. 19 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government will overhaul
its National Policy Unit to ensure better implementation of key policy
measures, National Policy Minister Koichiro Genba said Tuesday.
The key policy arm will be comprised of two teams--one for policy
planning and coordination and the other for making policy proposals to the
prime minister, Genba, told a press conference.
The policy planning team will split coordination work with the
chief cabinet secretary. It will also play a role of a think tank to help
the prime minister make policy decisions from a broad perspective.
Specifically, the team will draw up a basic policy for budget
compilation and handle such matters as medium- to long-term fiscal and tax
system reforms, economic policy management, economic partnership agreements,
the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP), the fight
against climate change and support for child-rearing families.
The National Policy Unit's ongoing study for a proposed common
identification number system for social security and tax purposes will be
transferred to the cabinet secretariat.
Meanwhile, the other new team in the unit will advise the prime
minister on diplomatic issues for the time being.
The number of the National Policy Unit's members will be increased
to some 50 from about 30 at present.