Bureaucrat bashing has been going on for some time, but most of the attention has been focused on the amakudari (“descent from heaven” – an institutionalized practice where senior bureaucrats retire to high-profile positions in the private and public sectors) issue. The actual situation with government officials has been ignored. Even if people shout from the rooftops about how bad the bureaucrats are, the essential problem remains unresolved. Kasumigaseki is filled with high-caliber, unselfish, government officials who are working for the benefit of the nation. To ensure that the capabilities of these top-flight bureaucrats can be fully put to use for national administration, we will propose specific reforms relating to recruitment, assignment, evaluation, compensation, human resources development, lifestyles, and second careers.