The Japanese government's public engagement strategy is surging, with a marked increase in public comments being submitted in response to proposed ordinances. Recent statistical reports have highlighted that since late 2024, the volume of feedback has skyrocketed, posing significant operational challenges for government officials.
Public comments, or "pabu komento," serve as a vital mechanism for engaging citizens in governmental decision-making, particularly when the government proposes new ordinances. The Administrative Procedure Act mandates that authorities not only collect but also give "full consideration" to any opinions received during public consultations. Traditionally, the number of submissions ranged from a few to several dozen. However, recent cases have seen numbers leap into the thousands, with officials expressing concern over potential misinformation and pressures associated with the volume of opinions.
For instance, an ordinance amendment concerning infectious disease prevention received over 90,000 public comments starting in November 2024. Similarly, the government's basic energy policy plan, which called for public input in December 2024, accumulated over 40,000 submissions. Such figures represent a staggering increase compared to previous ordinances, where the count did not typically exceed more than a few dozen responses.
The sheer number of comments has prompted discussions within the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) regarding strategies to effectively manage this influx. Officials are deliberating on how the existing processes may hinder the accurate understanding of public opinion. There are fears that the overwhelming volume might not reflect genuine public sentiment but rather an echo of similarly worded responses, many of which are organized through social media platforms encouraging mass submissions.
Following discussions among senior bureaucrats, the concept of integrating artificial intelligence into the comment management process has emerged as a viable solution. The aim is to leverage technology to sift through and categorize the comments, thereby reducing the manual burden placed on government employees who are currently required to read and respond to each submission. The administrative strain reportedly culminated in longer work hours for staff as they scramble to manage the deluge of feedback.
Kono Kenji, Planning Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, shared insights on the government's challenges in this evolving landscape. "We are puzzled by the number of cases that exceeded our expectations. It is a system to broadly collect opinions and reflect them in policies, but since the staff is doing the work manually one by one, we feel that it is difficult to collect opinions when a large number of opinions are received," he stated.
The phenomenon of mass submissions has also drawn attention, especially where identical opinions flood into the system. In one instance, submissions opposing nuclear power generation incorporated characteristics of identical phrasing, including over a thousand that simply wrote "opposition." Moreover, in another peculiar case, one individual reportedly submitted more than 400 responses, raising questions about the representativeness of such data.
Social media has significantly influenced the public comment landscape. Posts that circulated on platforms urged users to submit their opinions while providing templates for standardized responses. Many participants marked significant sequential submission numbers, expressing pride in achieving milestones such as "10,000th submission," thus framing their participation in an almost competitive light.
This recent wave of public involvement signifies a broader interest in policy discussions in Japan. However, with more complex opinion-sharing methods thanks to technology, officials must also adapt to ensure that citizen sentiment is adequately represented. The ongoing adaptation of the public comment system will be crucial as policymakers strive to balance efficiency, operational integrity, and high public engagement.
