The turf wars between politicians and bureaucrats in Tokyo

Japan’s shifting balance of power between politicians and bureaucrats raises questions about whether politically motivated personnel decisions serve the public interest. | Bloomberg

Aug 16, 2026

In early August just before Japan entered its midsummer vacation week, some drama unfolded within Tokyo’s bureaucratic apparatus.

The Asahi Shimbun reported that an elite Finance Ministry bureaucrat was reassigned in an “unusual transfer,” quoting a senior official at the Prime Minister’s Office explaining the reappointment because “He was uncooperative.” At the center of this is the Finance Ministry’s Jun Hitotsumatsu, deputy director-general of the Budget Bureau — who had been considered a future candidate for Vice Minister — being transferred to the Tokyo Customs Office.

It is highly unusual for such a senior figure in the Budget Bureau to become Commissioner of the Tokyo Customs Office. The move was reportedly driven by strong pressure from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration, following clashes with Hitotsumatsu over the proposed consumption tax cut and fiscal restructuring. Anyone who immediately grasps the significance of this news is likely quite knowledgeable about Japan.

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