EXCLUSIVE: Japan Mulling Exceptions on Govt Managerial Workers’ Retirement

July 25, 2018

Tokyo- Japan's National Personnel Authority is considering exceptions to the planned age limit system for national public servants in managerial posts, informed sources told Jiji Press.

The government plans to raise the retirement age for national public officials from the current 60 to 65 in stages.

Under the plan, officials in managerial positions will step down from their posts when they reach 60 years of age, an interim measure designed to curb the growth of overall personnel costs and give younger officials chances for promotion.

But the personnel authority is now expected to allow managerial personnel to retain their posts for a fixed period of time even after they turn 60 if personnel changes affect public duties, the sources said.

The exceptional measure would also allow officials in managerial posts who are aged 60 or older to take different managerial positions if there is no suitable personnel available in terms of age, the sources said.

Managerial personnel currently account for nearly as high as 40 pct of the total in a government agency.

The personnel authority is expected to express its view on the exceptions as early as next month.

An age limit for managerial posts is in place for nearly 40 pct of Japanese companies with 500 or more employees, according to a 2010 survey by the personnel authority.

The government aims to submit legislation to extend the retirement age of national public servants to parliament as soon as early next year. Jiji Press