Bonuses for Politicians

I must not be alone in thinking that politicians do not deserve to get bonuses. Japan's diet members get 6.3 million yen annual bonuses. They also get paid a salary of 34 million yen. I think this is ridiculous.

A United States senator makes around $170,000. Also there are only 100 senators compared to 242 members in Japan's upper house.

The governments are different. Japan is multi-party parliamentary political system, the states is a two-party republican federalist system. Despite these differences I can't see how how such high salaries can be justified for a country with less than half the population, a fraction of the land mass and lower tax revenue.

It takes 4,548,600,000(46 million dollars) yen to pay the annual bonuses for the 480 members of the house of representatives and the 242 members of the upper house.
Close to 250 million dollars to pay their salaries annually.

There are 47 prefectures in Japan. Have two upper house members per prefecture. Reduce salaries to 15 million yen. I think also that the house of representatives should be reduced. Even if it was not, to pay 15 million yen salaries to 480 reps and 94 upper house members would be around 8.6 billion yen.

Eliminate bonuses as well and the government saves 20 billion yen a year(200 million dollars). And they want to raise taxes? I can't believe I am paying for this.

You could shrink it even more by reducing the huge gap between public and private sector wages. Bureaucrats make a much higher average wage than those in the private sector. ???????

Also stop subsidizing housing for public servants. They should pay like everybody else does in Tokyo. Or they can move to the boondocks. My tax yen were not supposed to pay for housing bureaucrats in Roppongi or wherever the hell they live. Or paying "bonuses". Bonuses are for those of us who perform well or whose companies perform well in this thing called capitalism, where we compete and stuff. Not for public servants.

Also they should get rid of their budgeting protocol. They should use zero-balance budgeting or some hybrid. This to prevent that winter dash to spend unused tax yen so they can get the same budget the next year. They should justify every expense.

Well then who would want to be a public servant then? Well those interested in public servive. Well let them keep their nice retirement package. If wages are similar between private and public sector the retirement package would be an incentive to go into the bureaucracy. Either way they won't lose their jobs.

In general, Japanese politicians run for a public office to make a career out of it. As you already said, their salary is very good compared to the average Japanese wages/salaries. Japan is a socialist country in nature (with industrial policy to protect its economic base). So, it is a natural progression the government jobs pay better than the run-of-the-mill Japanese private sector job.

The Japanese Dream (if there is such a thing): be a bureaucrat or office holder for a better pay and under-the-counter graft payment.

It is impossible to have the clean politics because there are always someone with money and power want to influence the Diet to his advantages.

If Japan adopts the republican system with the direct presidential election, that may clean out some of the political sclerosis plaguing Japan. If you mix the conformist culture and consensus building politics (no clear policy and no leadership), the end result is what you see in Japan.

If the work that basically corresponds to the salary is done, it is no problem.
It only has not to vote in an election if it is not so.

Bonuses for Politicians?
indeed, their expense for election and expenses of entertainment and important ceremonial occasions to supporter etc are so high..
No one will do if becoming a politician by thinking the business.
It is miserable when falling by election.

The tax of their salaries is also high.

つpork barrel
As far as I know, we, Japan or the US, love pork after all.
Some systems such as political appointee seem fair, but it also has advantage as well as disadvantage.

An Asian, not naturalized one, public servant sued the ultra-racist governor claiming that she wants to be promoted. Of course, she could if she is just naturalized like her brother.
Unfortunately so far, no great oath in the naturalization like in the US, so it is not that unfair system for a foreign national who want to work in a public sector.

caster51 said:

It is miserable when falling by election.

Click to expand...

Japan's politics are still stuck in the feudal era (at least, that's how it looks to me). Because of political parties' support, incumbents usually win over the challengers (more often than other democratic countries, based on my impression).
If they lose, their party affiliations would help them get a position in the government or private companies which have a strong tie with the government contracts.
Even the incompetent bureaucrats are shuffled to another government post after they screw up with something (big and small). It's like a Catholic diocese moving a pedophile priest from one church to another (this is a hyperbolical remark; but, you get an idea).

Would you give a bonus to this guy? Sleeping at the G7 meeting.
Finance minister under fire for sloppy behavior at G-7 meeting

The tax of their salaries is also high.

With all the better things the money could be spent on (both in the U.S. & Japan) the bonuses should be cut. Give that money to schools and hospitals where its needed. As for the politicians. Just give them a $5 coupon for the movies.

justin said:

With all the better things the money could be spent on (both in the U.S. & Japan) the bonuses should be cut. Give that money to schools and hospitals where its needed. As for the politicians. Just give them a $5 coupon for the movies.

Click to expand...

There is already enough funding there. The problem is the money is being wasted in a bureaucratic quagmire and ineptitude. Throwing good money after bad does not solve the crux of the problem.