Grant No.

09-067

Research Report
Name : Abd Rabou Ahmed Mohamed

Organization (at the time of the grant): Hokkaido University

Title of Research: “Policy Networks and Decision Making Process: A Comparative Study to
the ODA and Education Reforms in Japan, 1980-2003.”

Purpose of Research:
The main objective of this research is, theoretically, to analyze and examine the policy
making process and the way it is reformed, while practically, the research aims to compare
the education and the Official Development Assistance (ODA) policy making and reform
outcomes in Japan (1980-2003). Since most of studies in policy making are puzzled by thequestion of how policies are really made, and why some policies outcomes are to favor
some groups while excluding others, therefore, the research is a trial to explore the blackbox where polices are initiated, formed, and subsequently, made. In other words, theresearch seeks to explore the (behind the scene politics) in democracies such as Japan.

Content/Methodology of Research:
Research Hypothesis: the study supposes that the policy networks affect the policy
outcomes by a variety of resources and mechanisms. However, the type of policy network,that is to say a policy community or an issue network (Refer to p.2), determines the speed ofthe policy outcomes, the content of these outcomes, and lastly, the number of beneficiaries
who are favored by the outcomes. In case a policy community exists in a given policy sector,
the study supposes that the reforms in this policy area would be very slow, the content of thereforms would be narrow-modest, and the number of beneficiaries would probably be very
few. Conversely, if a policy issue exists in the respective policy sector, then the study
supposes the outcomes in this policy area would be very fast, the content of the outcomes
would be very comprehensive and radical and the number of beneficiaries would be large

Research Approach:The policy network approach is used as a tool for analysis in this research. The researchuses the policy network as a meso-level approach, which provides a link between themicro-level of analysis, dealing with the role of interests and government in particular policy
decisions, and the macro-level of analysis, which focuses on broader issues about thedistribution of power within modern society. Network analysis emphasizes continuity in therelations between interest groups and government departments in what so called interest
group intermediation. The existence of a policy network is believed to both influence policy
outcomes and reflects the relative power of the particular interests in a given policy area.
The policy network approach is used throughout the study to examine the education andODA policy making processes in Japan (1980-2003).

Sample Selection:
In this study, the documents and information related to the Ad Hoc Council on Education thatwas established in 1984 and lasted until 1987 to inquire into the educational reforms thatPrime Minster Nakasone had envisioned, is analyzed. The documents and information
related to the Central Education Council that was established by Ministry of Education(MOE) in 1995 to follow the reforms of the Ad Hoc council and create the education for the
21st century plan are also subject to investigation. On the ODA policy, the documents andinformation related to the new ODA charter (1992), the new directions of ODA (1995), ODA
fiscal reforms (1998, 2002), and lastly the revisions of Japanese ODA charter (2003) arealso subject to analysis. In addition to the content analysis to these documents, the study
intends to conduct some interviews with the officials of Ministry of Education (MOE),different boards of education in Tokyo and Hokkaido, Ministry of Finance (MOF), Ministry ofInternational Trade and Industry (MITI), now known as METI, Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Conclusion/Observation:
By the end of the research three main results are shown:
I. the main hypothesis of this research that policy networks affect the policy outcomes, anddetermine its speed (fast/slow), content (radical-comprehensive / modest-narrow) and thenumber of beneficiaries (few/ many) is proofed.
II. a new dynamic theory of Japanese political system that depends on fragmenting thepolitical context in Japan into different policy sectors where each sector has its own
characteristics and policy networks is created.