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In order to coordinate the statistics and statistical activities of the government as a whole, the Statistics Bureau (Director-General for Policy Planning) examines the plans for all the statistical surveys of the government, and whenever necessary, the Bureau advises the governmental bodies concerned. The examination is done at two different stages: when a detailed plan for conducting a statistical survey is submitted by the governmental body in charge in order to obtain approval from the Minister of MIC, and when the annual budget requests for conducting statistical surveys are made by various governmental bodies. In this section, examination by the Bureau at each stage is described below.
In accord with the provisions of the Statistics Law and the Statistical Reports Coordination Law, the governmental body which intends to conduct a statistical survey submits the plan for the survey to the Statistics Bureau. The Bureau examines the plan on behalf of the Minister of MIC before he/she issues approval.
To seek approval from the Minister of MIC for conducting a designated statistical survey, the governmental body which plans to conduct the survey has to report various aspects of the plan for it to the Minister of the MIC. Such aspects include its purpose, items, coverage, date and method, tabulation plan, date and manner of releasing the results, duration and the persons responsible for preserving the survey returns, and estimated cost. When necessary, the plan for the survey is deliberated by the Statistics Council before approval.
The process of examining the plans for notified statistical surveys and collections of statistical reports is similar to that for designated statistical surveys, but the process for these kinds of surveys is simpler. The examination focuses on eliminating redundancy among different statistical surveys, reducing the reporting burden, and ensuring sound survey methods.
The difference between notified statistical surveys and collections of statistical reports is that the latter applies only to surveys by national governmental bodies, while the former applies to surveys by both national and local governmental bodies. The surveys of the national governmental bodies, other than designated statistical surveys, are in general conducted as collections of statistical reports. But if the respondents of such a survey happen to be prefectural or municipal governments, the survey is conducted as a notified statistical survey. The surveys of the local governments are conducted as notified statistical surveys.
The Bureau coordinates statistics and statistical activities of the government by examining the statistical budgets of all the governmental bodies and giving advice to the bodies concerned.
All the ministries and agencies submit their budgets for the next fiscal year to the Ministry of Finance by 31 August every year. The Ministry of Finance examines the requests and prepares a draft to be submitted to the Diet on the basis of such requests, usually by the end of December.
In this process, the Bureau examines all budget requests for statistical surveys and activities related to statistics. The Bureau assesses them from the viewpoint of the overall efficiency and consistency of governmental statistical activities, as well as the necessity and the methodological adequacy of individual surveys and activities. The full results of the assessment are given to the Ministry of Finance so that they can be reflected in preparing the budget draft.
