Personnel Risk:

Low

Score:

79/100

Leadership Behaviour

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Q34 58/100

Do the Defence Ministry, Defence Minister, Chiefs of Defence, and Single Service Chiefs publicly commit, through, for example, speeches, media interviews, or political mandates, to anti-corruption and integrity measures?

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Chiefs/Ministers: Internal communications Score: 75 / 100
The Ministry of Defence of Japan (MOD) and the Self-Defence Force (SDF) have a series of topic months or topic weeks during which they…
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Chiefs/Ministers: Public commitment Score: 50 / 100
Defence Chiefs and Ministers are committed to the statements in the Defence White Book. A commitment to anti-corruption and integrity measures can be seen…
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Unit commanders and leaders Score: 50 / 100
Education on compliance with laws and regulations is given year-round by the Ministry of Defence and Self-Defence Force. Most strongly related to anti-corruption work…
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Q35 100/100

Are there effective measures in place for personnel found to have taken part in forms of bribery and corruption, and is there evidence that these measures are being carried out?

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Sanctions Score: 100 / 100
Two core pieces of Japanese anti-corruption legislation are Chapter XXV “Crimes of Corruption” of the Penal Code [1] and the Unfair Competition Prevention Act.…
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Enforcement Score: 100 / 100
The Inspector General’s Office of Legal Compliance (IGO) conducts an annual inspection of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Self-Defence Force (SDF). “SDF…
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Q36 75/100

Is whistleblowing encouraged by the government, and are whistle-blowers in military and defence ministries afforded adequate protection from reprisal for reporting evidence of corruption, in both law and practice?

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Legal provisions Score: 75 / 100
Japan has a law on whistleblowing that is applicable to national public employees and Self-Defence Force (SDF) personnel [1]. There are instructions for the…
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Prioritisation Score: 75 / 100
Personnel are given clear information on whistleblowing, although for a broader range of misconduct than corruption. Information on the protection of whistleblowers is provided.…
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Effectiveness Score: 75 / 100
An editorial in the Japan Times discusses several cases where people doubt that whistleblowers in the Japanese private sector are adequately protected. [1] Only…
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Q37 50/100

Is special attention paid to the selection, time in post, and oversight of personnel in sensitive positions, including officials and personnel in defence procurement, contracting, financial management, and commercial management?

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Coverage of sensitive (higher-risk) positions Score: 50 / 100
An examination of rules that apply to personnel with decision-making power in various fields indicates that awareness of the danger of corruption is greatest…
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Selection process Score: 50 / 100
On the website of the Ministry of Defence, the most extensive information on the selection process for sensitive positions is found in laws and…
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Oversight Score: 50 / 100
Rules regarding appointment and promotion are described in article 31 of the SDF Law, but neither this article nor the ordinances that are based…
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Payroll, Promotions, Appointments, Rewards

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Q38 83/100

Is the number of civilian and military personnel accurately known and publicly available?

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Accuracy Score: 75 / 100
The number of civilian and military personnel can be found in the annual Defence White Book “Defence of Japan” [1] and on the website…
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Transparency Score: 75 / 100
The number of civilian and military personnel can be found on the website of the Ministry of Defence and in the Defence White Paper…
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Ghost soldiers Score: 100 / 100
No reference to “ghost soldiers,” meaning people whose names appear on military rolls, but are not in military service, in Japan were identified.
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Q39 100/100

Are pay rates and allowances for civilian and military personnel openly published?

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Pay rates Score: 100 / 100
There are two main laws which show pay rates for Ministry of Defence (MOD) personnel disaggregated by rank. [1] Both laws are available on…
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Allowances Score: 100 / 100
Allowances for civilian and military (SDF) personnel are found in the Law Regarding the Salary of the Personnel of the MOD [1] and regulations…
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Q40 100/100

Do personnel receive the correct pay on time, and is the system of payment well-established, routine, and published?

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Timeliness Score: 100 / 100
According to Article 3 of the Law regarding the Salary of Personnel of the MOD, regularly employed employees of the ministry are to receive…
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Accuracy Score: 100 / 100
A search of the two mainstream newspapers Asahi Shimbun [1] and Yomiuri Shimbun [2] for the period January 1, 2016 – September 20, 2019…
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Transparency Score: 100 / 100
The information on how to calculate pay and allowances is given in the main, relevant, laws for the MOD, the Law regarding the Salary…
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Q41 50/100

Is there an established, independent, transparent, and objective appointment system for the selection of military personnel at middle and top management level?

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Formal process Score: 50 / 100
The website of the Japan Ministry of Defence provides some announcements of vacant positions and access to legislation for the defence sector. [1] [2]…
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Scrutiny Score: NEI / 100
There is not enough information to score this indicator. A retired higher Maritime Self-Defence Force officer said at interview that the Cabinet Law determines…
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Transparency Score: 50 / 100
Rules regarding appointment for all SDF personnel, not only medium- or high-rank officers, are publicly available. [1] [2] Implementing guidelines that provide information on…
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Q42 75/100

Are personnel promoted through an objective, meritocratic process? Such a process would include promotion boards outside of the command chain, strong formal appraisal processes, and independent oversight.

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Formal process Score: 50 / 100
To be eligible for appointment to higher officer positions, an officer must pass the entrance exams and complete specific courses. [1] Selection for a…
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Exceptions Score: 100 / 100
A retired higher Maritime Self-Defence Force officer, who has commanded a regional MSDF district command, stated that in principle, such other means of awarding…
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Comprehensiveness Score: 75 / 100
The general rule is that when SDF officials are appointed to higher officer positions corresponding to NATO rank OF-5 or above, (i.e. General, Major…
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Frequency Score: 75 / 100
Details of postings and promotions to positions corresponding to NATO rank OF-5 or above are published on the website of the MOD on the…
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Conscription and Recruitment

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Q43 NA/100

Where compulsory conscription occurs, is there a policy of not accepting bribes for avoiding conscription? Are there appropriate procedures in place to deal with such bribery, and are they applied?

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Policy Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’ as there is no compulsory conscription in Japan. The Japan Communist Party affiliated newspaper Akahata used the term…
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Sanctions Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’ as there is no compulsory conscription in Japan (see Q43A).
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Enforcement Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’ as there is no compulsory conscription in Japan (see Q43A).
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Q44 100/100

is there a policy of refusing bribes to gain preferred postings? Are there appropriate procedures in place to deal with such bribery, and are they applied?

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Policy Score: 100 / 100
Chapter XXV “Crimes of Corruption” of the Penal Code covers bribery of Japanese public officials. [1] It does not define the term ‘bribe,’ although…
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Sanctions Score: 100 / 100
Under the Penal Code, [1] giving, offering or promising to give a bribe are offenses, with a penalty of up to three years’ imprisonment,…
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Enforcement Score: NA / 100
No examples of attempts to pay bribes to get preferred postings were identified, as such this indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. Offenses committed by…
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Salary Chain

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Q45 75/100

Are chains of command separate from chains of payment?

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Score: 75 / 100
The Law regarding the Salary of the Personnel of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) regulates salary and allowances for the broadest categories of employees…
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Values and Standards

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Q46 94/100

Is there a Code of Conduct for all military personnel that includes, but is not limited to, guidance with respect to bribery, gifts and hospitality, conflicts of interest, and post-separation activities? Is there evidence that breaches of the Code of Conduct are effectively addressed?

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Code of conduct Score: 100 / 100
The Self-Defence Force (SDF) Code of Conduct is a Cabinet Order that builds on the SDF Ethics Law. [1] The Code of Conduct provides…
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Transparency Score: 100 / 100
All documents are found on easily accessible websites (see Q46A). Lectures on compliance issues have been held at SDF bases. [1] According to the…
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Enforcement Score: 100 / 100
The evidence available indicates that breaches of the Code of Conduct are regularly investigated. The book on compliance for personnel in general gives a…
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Training Score: 75 / 100
The Inspector General’s Office has made a book on compliance that builds on, and has references to, the SDF Code of Conduct. The Compliance…
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Q47 100/100

Is there a Code of Conduct for all civilian personnel that includes, but is not limited to, guidance with respect to bribery, gifts and hospitality, conflicts of interest, and post-separation activities? Is there evidence that breaches of the Code of Conduct are effectively addressed?

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Code of conduct Score: 100 / 100
The great majority of the employees of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) are designated Special service national public employees in the National Civil Service…
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Transparency Score: 100 / 100
All documents listed are found on easily accessible homepages (see Q47A). According to the foreword of the supervisor version of the book on compliance,…
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Enforcement Score: 100 / 100
The National Personnel Authority handles disciplinary measures against most national civil servants, [1] but not against civil servants employed by the SDF, who belong…
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Training Score: 100 / 100
Circulars from ATLA confirm that the Compliance Guidance is used in the education of administrative officials. [1] [2] It is distributed to all units…
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Q48 67/100

Does regular anti-corruption training take place for military and civilian personnel?

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Comprehensiveness Score: 50 / 100
According to a retired higher Maritime Self-Defence Force (MSDF) officer, who has commanded a regional MSDF district command, a number of issues related to…
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Regularity Score: 75 / 100
A retired higher MSDF officer, who has commanded a regional MSDF district command, stated that, “It cannot be said in general, but training and…
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Coverage of personnel Score: 75 / 100
According to a retired higher SDF officer, the Inspector General’s Office (IGO)’s Compliance Guidance has information about which items all personnel should receive training…
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Q49 42/100

Is there a policy to make public outcomes of the prosecution of defence services personnel for corrupt activities, and is there evidence of effective prosecutions in recent years?

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Policy Score: 0 / 100
The website of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) revealed no formal policy on making the outcomes of prosecution of defence services personnel public. [1]…
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Transparency Score: 25 / 100
There are no courts martial in Japan, because the Constitution states that “[n]o extraordinary tribunal shall be established, nor shall any organ or agency…
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Effectiveness Score: 100 / 100
The public prosecutor has a legally guaranteed, independent position in the Japanese judicial system. Investigation and prosecution follow formal processes. [1] A search of…
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Q50 100/100

Are there effective measures in place to discourage facilitation payments (which are illegal in almost all countries)?

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Legal framework Score: 100 / 100
Facilitation payments are illegal under Chapter XXV “Crimes of Corruption” of the Penal Code [1] and the Unfair Competition Prevention Act (see Q35A). The…
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Enforcement Score: 100 / 100
Japanese public prosecutors are bound by law to investigate and prosecute according to formal procedures. Although the Government can instruct the Prosecutor General, it…
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Prevalence Score: 100 / 100
No examples of Japanese facilitation payments in the defence and security sector were identified. A search of the mainstream newspapers, Asahi Shimbun [1] and…
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