OVERVIEW OF TOKYO

THE STRUCTURE OF THE TOKYO METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT (TMG)

Composition
The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly is made up of 127 members directly elected by Tokyo citizens to serve a term of four years.

The President
The President of the Assembly is elected from among its members. The President represents the Assembly, presides over its sessions and supervises its affairs. He or she also expresses the Assembly's opinions externally. As a support organization for the Assembly, a Secretariat is provided and the President is empowered to appoint and dismiss its staff employees.

Committees
As the workings of the metropolitan administration have become increasingly varied and complex, the Metropolitan Government has become large and unwieldy. The Assembly establishes committees to ensure thorough debate of all the different matters facing the government. The committees are divided into standing committees and special committees set up by the Assembly to consider specific subjects.

Authority of the Assembly
The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly is the TMG's fundamental decision-making body. It has the authority to enact, amend and repeal metropolitan ordinances, certify settlement of the budget through resolutions of the assembly, and elect members of the Election Administration Commission. In addition, the assent of the Assembly must be sought for important appointments which are made by the Governor, such as those of the Vice Governor, the Comptroller General, etc. Representing the people of Tokyo, the Assembly also has the right to investigate and inspect all aspects of administrative affairs.

Executive Organs

The Governor
The Governor is directly elected by the citizens, and represents the Metropolis of Tokyo. With a four-year term of office, he or she has overall control of metropolitan affairs, and the authority and responsibility for maintaining the collective integrity of the metropolitan administration. In the 23 special-ward area, the Governor may take on the nature of mayor.

Sub-Agencies
To assist the Governor in dealing with the affairs delegated to his authority, Vice Governors, a Comptroller General and other staff members are provided. As of April 1, 2003, a total of 174,950 persons are employed as staff members of these sub-agencies. (Breakdown: Governor's bureaus, 31,643; executive commissions and the Assembly, 1,159; public enterprises, 16,897; police/fire fighting, 62,875; school staff, 62,376.)

Personnel

When new staff are recruited the Personnel Commission usually holds examinations, and candidates who pass the examinations undergo a process of selection by persons who have appointive powers, including the Governor. In some occupations like nursing, specially authorized persons directly recruit personnel.

Recruitment examinations are conducted after being publicly announced to ensure wide public awareness, and they include written examinations and interviews. These examinations are split into different levels according to the age of examinees and level of the questions. The examinations are completely open to everyone on an equal basis regardless of gender, academic background or social position.

Nationality restrictions on about 70% of occupations have been scrapped, opening the recruitment process up to foreign persons, and efforts continue to expand recruitment. To accelerate the recruitment of disabled persons, examinations are held in Braille or using enlarged printing; special recruitment for people with physical impairments is conducted through special selection.

Organization of the TMG