Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (経済産業省), METI for short, is a ministry of the Government of Japan. It was created by the 2001 Central Government Reform when the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) merged with agencies from other ministries related to economic activities, such as the Economic Planning Agency.

METI has jurisdiction over a broad policy area, containing Japan's industrial/trade policies, energy security, control of arms exports, "Cool Japan", etc.

The Ministry has its headquarters in Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. Its current head is Ken Saitō, who was appointed minister by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in 14 December 2023.

Overview
The mission stipulated in Article 3 of the Act for the Establishment of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Act No. 99 of 1999) is to "enhance the economic vitality of the private sector and develop economic and industrial development centered on the smooth development of foreign economic relations, as well as the stable and efficient development of mineral and energy resources." In order to achieve the goal of ensuring supply, it has jurisdiction over macroeconomic policies, industrial policies, trade policies, trade control operations, industrial technology policies, distribution policies, and energy policies.

Some middle-ranking bureaucrats selected from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry are based in the Japan External Trade Organization in foreign countries and are engaged in various research work as industrial investigators.

Since many of the industrial policies initiated by METI, such as the nuclear fuel cycle program and the 5th generation computer program and software development program ("Sigma Plan"), have failed, the ministry is not highly regarded or trusted in Japan in the 21st century.

History
The Ministry's predecessor, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, was in operation from 25 May 1949 to 5 January 2001. However, due to the reorganisation of central government ministries and agencies on 6 January 2001, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry was established by reorganising and renaming the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.

In the past, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry was regarded as the driving force behind high economic growth as the "Economic General Staff Headquarters", the general control centre of the Japanese economy or Japan Inc.

It made full use of the licences and administrative guidance that it possessed, and was mainly in charge of industrial policy, using allocated loans (FILP) from government-affiliated financial institutions, budget allowances, and subsidies as sources of power. In addition, it held a wide range of authority in areas such as science and technology research and development, trade, patents, energy policy, and small and medium enterprise policy according to technological innovation. It was also involved in monetary policy.

However, after Japan's period of high economic growth ended, one-off policy ideas were inevitably created because, despite having a wide range of authority, they were unable to administer licensing and subsidies compared to other ministries and agencies such as "operational government agencies", it became the main one. Ad balloons for various new policies are launched around May and June every year. For this reason, while the Ministry of Finance is still a "general government agency" that is widely involved in decision-making through fiscal policy, budget assessments, and taxation, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is an "administrative department store" that has jurisdiction over most industries. It is described as a "limited general government office".

Structure
METI is organized into the following bureaus, offices, departments and 3 agencies (Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, Japan Patent Office):
 * Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau
 * Economic and Industrial Policy Division
 * Macro Economic Affairs Division
 * Industrial Structure Policy Division
 * Industrial Organization Division
 * Industrial Revitalization Division
 * Industrial Finance Division
 * Corporate Affairs Division
 * Research and Statistics Department
 * Regional Economic and Industrial Policy Division
 * Business Environment Promotion Division
 * Industrial Facilities Division
 * Regional Technology Division
 * Trade Policy Bureau
 * Multilateral Trade System Department
 * Trade Policy Division
 * Research and Analysis Division
 * Economic Partnership Division
 * Americas Division
 * Europe, Middle East, and Africa Division
 * Asia and Pacific Division
 * Northeast Asia Division
 * Trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau
 * Trade Control Department
 * Trade Control Policy Division
 * Trade Licensing Division
 * Security Export Control Policy Division
 * Security Export Licensing Division
 * Trade and Investment Facilitation Division
 * Trade Financial and Economic Cooperation Division
 * Financial Cooperation Division
 * Technical Cooperation Division
 * Trade Insurance Division
 * Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau
 * Industrial Science and Technology Policy Division
 * Technology Evolution and Research Division
 * Academia-Industry Cooperation Promotion Division
 * Technology Promotion Division
 * Research and Development Division
 * Technical Regulations, Standards, and Conformity Assessment Policy Division
 * Measurement and Intellectual Infrastructure Division
 * Environmental Policy Division
 * Recycling Promotion Division
 * Manufacturing Industries Bureau
 * Infrastructure and Advanced Systems Promotion Office
 * Creative Industries Promotion Office ("Cool Japan Office")
 * Water Industry and Infrastructure Systems Promotion Office
 * Monodzukuri Policy Planning Office
 * Office for Intellectual Property Right Infringement and International Trade
 * Iron and Steel Division
 * Iron and Steel Technology Office
 * Nonferrous Metals Division
 * Chemical Management Policy Division
 * Chemical Safety Office
 * Chemical Weapon and Drug Materials Control Policy Office
 * Fluoride Gases Management Office
 * Chemical Risk Assessment Office
 * Chemicals Division
 * Fine Chemicals Office
 * Alcohol Office
 * Bio-Industry Division
 * Bio-Business Promotion Office
 * Housing Industry, Ceramics and Construction Materials Division
 * Fine Ceramics, Nanotechnologies and Advanced Materials Policy Planning Office
 * Industrial Machinery Division
 * Robot Industry Office
 * International Projects Promotion Office
 * Machine Parts and Tooling Industries Office
 * Automobile Division
 * Electric Vehicle and Advanced Technology Office
 * ITS Promotion Office
 * Automobile Recycling Policy Office
 * Aerospace and Defense Industry Division
 * Space Industry Office
 * Vehicle Division
 * Textile and Clothing Division
 * Fashion Policy Office
 * International Textile and Clothing Trade Office
 * Paper Industry, Consumer and Recreational Goods Division
 * Consumer Goods Office
 * Traditional Craft Industry Office
 * Design Policy Office
 * Commerce and Information Policy Bureau
 * Information Policy Division
 * IT Project Office
 * Information and International Policy Office
 * Office for IT Security Policy
 * Information and Communication Electronics Division
 * Device Industry Strategy Office
 * Environmental Affairs and Recycling Office
 * Digital Consumer Electronics Strategy Office
 * Information Service Industry Division
 * Local Informatization and Human Resource Development Office
 * Service Affairs Policy Division
 * Service Industries Office
 * Healthcare Industries Division
 * Medical and Assistive Device Industries Office
 * Creative Industries Division
 * Fashion Policy Office
 * Cool Japan Promotion Office
 * Design Policy Office
 * Consumer Goods Office
 * Traditional Craft Industry Office
 * Media and Content Industry Division
 * Agency for Natural Resources and Energy
 * Small and Medium Enterprise Agency
 * Japan Patent Office
 * Minister's Secretariat
 * Regional Bureaus & Industrial Safety and Inspection Department
 * Incorporated Administrative Agencies

Controversial circumstance
In July 2019, restrictions were taken on the export of semiconductor components without any consultation with South Korea.