Seven tonnes of paper documents distributed at once? Investigating the Diet's customs and their background [Spotlight investigative reporting project]

A Fuji TV investigative report, part of its Spotlight series, examines long-standing customs in the Japanese Diet and the case for reforming them. In a survey of young lawmakers, delayed digitalization and the distribution of paper documents were the most frequently cited issues. The report says budget-related materials are handed out at roughly 10 kg per lawmaker at once, amounting to over 7 tons across all members. It also describes offices overwhelmed by paper, and aims to show why paper culture persists and why improvement has been slow. Reporting is credited to Fuji TV political desk journalists Hideshi Ijichi and Mako Fukuda, among others.

• A survey of young lawmakers ranked delayed digitalization and paper document distribution as the top concerns.
• Budget-related materials are reported to be handed out at about 10 kg per lawmaker at once, totaling over 7 tons.
• The report covers the practical effects, such as lawmakers' offices filled with documents, and the reasons reform has lagged.

国会には長年にわたり続く慣習やルールがある。 見直すべきものはないか、議員としての経験が浅い若手にアンケートを実施したところ、最も多かったのは、デジタル化の遅れと紙資料の配付。 調査を進めると、予算に関連する資料の場合、議員1人に約10kｇもの量が一度に配られるとわかったが、これは全議員で計７トン超、日本国民1人が約40年間で廃棄する家庭ゴミの量に相当する。 さらに、議員事務所の一室が書類であふれかえるといった“弊害”が起きていることもわかった。 国会に根強く残る“紙文化”の実態を明らかにし、改善が遅れている背景に迫った。 取材：フジテレビ政治部 伊地知英志、福田真子ほか