Based upon the points noted above, some concrete proposals for the buildings are as
follows.
- The office buildings should be expanded to provide at least twice to three times the space as currently allotted each Member. In addition, ample space should be provided to accommodate space for reference materials and documents, staff rooms, facilities for support services, and waiting room for visitors.
- The buildings should be designed not only with the welfare of occupants and visitors in mind but also to take full advantage of advanced technologies such as information systems, digitalization and intelligent network systems.
- The buildings should provide facilities which are convenient and conducive to the policy making activities of Diet Members, including legislative assistance organizations such as the Investigative Offices for the Committees.
- An information center should be established in the office buildings to keep information materials owned by the government and policy materials collected or generated by the Diet Committees and other legislative organizations. Names suggested for this center include "Diet Information Center" and "Public Information Center for the Diet." This information center
should provide easy access for Members as well as open access and reference services for the public.
However, certain obstacles must be overcome in order to make this expansion project a reality. First, the expansion must be undertaken within current budget constraints. Second, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to expand physically without reducing the present size of the Diet. Finally, any expansion plan should integrate all support and service facilities and systems, including the National Diet Library. Foremost, politicians must make a concerted effort to secure public understanding of these needs.
Any plans for expansion should take into consideration relocation plans for the Diet and other government operations now under development. The Diet passed a resolution in 1990 to revamp politics and government for the twenty-first century, which included a relocation initiative for Diet and government operations. This initiative has been referred to the Council for the Relocation and Redeployment of the Diet, which is an advisory committee to the Prime Minister. The Council is chaired by Mr. Wataru Mori, Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo, and is expected to submit a report this fall with recommendations for the new location. If plans proceed according to schedule, construction will start sometime after 2004 and the Diet will convene in the new location in 2014.
However, there are many hurdles to be overcome for the relocation plan to succeed. First of all, conditions have changed radically since the original plan was introduced. Secondly, little progress has been made in selecting a site. Because of the large amount of money needed to finance the relocation of the Diet, there are questions about the source of funding. Taking all this into consideration, it will be a major task to promote the plan and win public acceptance. Nonetheless, discussions should be undertaken as soon as possible as to whether to expand the current Diet facilities or construct new ones.
All in all, what is most important is to enhance the policy making process in an unstable political environment and the "hard" and "soft" factors affecting this process have been noted in this report. It is our recommendation that the Diet investigate each point as rapidly as possible. However, more important than what politicians want is the collective wish of the people with regard to the expansion of the Diet Buildings and legislative improvements proposed.
Good politics and good government are predicated upon good citizenship. It is people power that shapes politics and government. What do politics and government mean to the people? What do they expect? Everyone should ask themselves these questions.
|
What's New
Index
Next