Ability NOT Seniority is the New Japan Promotion criteria

The Japanese government announced that beginning in '09 promotions will be merit based instead of seniority-based.

The new promotion system will cover:

1. Elite "career" bureaucrats

2. Central governmnet workers

3. All ministries and agencies

Government officials who seek post-retirement jobs at private companies in industries they oversee will be subject to disciplinary actions.

Tokyo will also abolish the current rule that bureaucrats must wait for at least two years before taking jobs in the private sector in their five years prior to retirement.

Critics worry that government bureaucrats will "parachute into lucrative jobs" (amakudari) in the private sector.

Tokyo countered with the thought that personnel exchange between public and private sectors will be encouraged by the new rule.

Japan does not change easily. Or, does it change at all. The bureaucrats who have the opportunity to make the jump during the coming two to three year transition period are sure to take advantage of the missing rule.

People are funny like that when it comes to money.

What do you think?