Government Reform Day

What Is Government Reform Day?

October 6 is "Government Reform Day" in Japan. On October 6, 1969 (Showa 44), Matsudo City Hall in Chiba Prefecture created the "Suguyaru-ka" - literally the "Do-It-Right-Away Section." It was the idea of then-mayor Matsumoto Kiyoshi, who also founded the drugstore chain Matsumoto Kiyoshi. The section, set up to respond quickly to residents' everyday problems, drew attention from across Japan.

Why the Section Was Created

At the time, Matsudo was growing rapidly as a commuter town for Tokyo, with its population rising by about 20,000 a year. The city was busy building roads, sewers and schools, and small everyday problems were often left unattended.

• Frustration with red tape: Requests such as clogged or broken gutters, or removing dead animals from roads, were sometimes passed from department to department because no one was clearly in charge.
• The guiding principle: The section was founded on the principle: "What must be done right away, and can be done right away, we will do right away."

How the Idea Spread

The catchy name and quick action made headlines, and similar sections are said to have spread to more than 300 municipalities across Japan. Matsudo's Suguyaru-ka still exists today and marked its 50th anniversary in 2019.

• Examples of its work: It handles everyday issues such as potholes, gutter problems and hornet nest consultations.
• A private-sector mindset: Matsumoto is said to have brought the attitude he developed running his pharmacy business - responding quickly to customers' problems - into city government.

Government Reform Trivia

• "No-writing" counters: More municipalities are introducing counters where residents do not have to write their name and address again and again on forms.
• Online services: With the My Number Card, residents can now get certificates at convenience stores and complete various procedures online.
• Nudges: The idea of gently encouraging better choices without forcing them is used in things like reminder letters for health checkups.
• Open data: Municipalities are increasingly publishing their data for use in private apps and services.

Ideas for Government Reform Day

• Finish one "quick task" you have been putting off, today.
• Look up which procedures your local government lets you do online.
• Identify tasks at work that tend to get passed around, and decide who owns them.
• Instead of just complaining about everyday inconveniences, jot them down as improvement ideas.

Something to Remember on Government Reform Day

October 6 is a day to look back on an effort that changed the image of local government with a simple attitude: do it right away. Doing what needs to be done right away sounds easy, but keeping it up is hard. Start today with the things in your own work that you can do right now.