N. V. KHISAMUTDINOVA, Doctor of Methodological Sciences Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service

customs authorities (APR), Asia-Pacific region Keywords:, Japan, personnel training. Customs Institute

At the last APEC summit in Vladivostok (September 7-9, 2012), participants reaffirmed their commitment to deepening regional economic integration as the main means of moving towards a free and open trade system. As Russian President Vladimir Putin noted," one of the absolute priorities "is the development of the transport circuit of the Asia-Pacific region¹. In this regard, the Vladivostok meeting stressed the importance of further joint measures to improve transport and logistics systems and eliminate bottlenecks in regional supply chains, and agreed on specific measures to achieve this goal. Much was said about improving the efficiency of customs authorities, reducing the time required for customs clearance, simplifying and harmonizing customs procedures, unifying customs regulations, and improving personnel policy2. The latter has become one of the most important aspects of the modernization of customs authorities, which has affected all the countries of the Asia-Pacific region to one degree or another over the past decade.

Functionally, the transport sector in APEC is handled by the "Transport Group", whose documents state that APEC pays special attention to the liberalization of transport services, strengthening the security of transport systems, improving efficiency, and simplifying internal transport rules. Close to this group are the Committee on Trade and Investment and its sub-committee on Customs procedures, which deals with customs facilitation "to ensure efficient cross-border movement of goods and services"*.

Recently, much attention has also been paid in Russia to improving the efficiency of customs authorities.

Not so long ago-in 2010-there was an embarrassment with Japanese businessmen who have business ties with Russia. Testing the multifunctional container corridor "Port of Fusiki-Vladivostok Commercial Sea Port-Novosibirsk" for the delivery of Honda cars and spare parts to Russia, they found that customs clearance of cargo in Vladivostok took 10 days. "The route is a winning one, but the timing of customs clearance needs to be worked out," Toyama Prefectural Governor Ishii Takakazu said at the time. - For comparison, in the United States, such procedures take two days, and in China and the Republic of Korea-one day"³. The governor modestly kept silent about the terms of cargo clearance in Japan, because they are optimal there. It is no coincidence that Japan and the United States were the first countries to start research in 1991 on accounting for the time spent on cargo passage through customs.

Over the past two-plus years, certain changes have taken place. Thus, the efficiency of the Far Eastern customs has increased: more than 98% of the total declaration array is processed in two days4.

But it is too early to talk about the great success of the Far Eastern customs. In order for customs to meet new standards and apply international agreements in a uniform and highly professional manner, a lot of work is still needed to improve its efficiency, including by improving the structure of customs authorities and personnel management, and creating an effective system for training and professional development of personnel.

These tasks are being successfully solved in Japan. Although, according to researchers, the easiest way to use its experience is for countries in Southeast Asia that have similar cultural values to Japan.-

* For more information, see: S. G. Luzyanin Vladivostok-2012: measurements of LTPP //Asia and Africa Today, 2012, No. 11 (Editor's note).

nii ⁵. The personnel policy and carefully thought - out system of personnel training in the Japanese customs service provide many good examples, which, with some adaptation, could be successfully used by the relevant structures of Russia.

WHAT DOES JAPANESE CUSTOMS DO?

Japanese Customs has three main functions. First of all, it is the collection of customs taxes and duties. Officially, it is defined as 1.8% of all tax revenues to the budget of Japan for the year, but in fact, customs brings much more revenue to the state. According to the World Customs Organization, this figure was ^11.4% in the 2011-2012 fiscal year6. The second function of Japanese customs is to ensure the economic security of society. Control over the passage of goods across the border allows you to prevent the entry of dangerous and prohibited substances and goods, such as drugs, weapons, etc., into the country, including through smuggling. Finally, Customs activities promote trade. This aspect has become particularly relevant in recent years. In Japan, customs is considered to be at the forefront of trade relations, which play a crucial role both in the development of the national economy and in ensuring favorable living conditions for the Japanese. ⁷

Japanese customs authorities are part of the Ministry of Finance system. Their organizational structure is somewhat unusual: there is no direct hierarchical dependence of all departments dealing with customs issues. The head office is the Customs and Tariff Bureau, which is headed by the Director General, but regional customs departments are closed not to him, but directly to the leadership of the Ministry of Finance.

The main task of the Customs and Tariff Bureau is to develop the common customs policy of Japan and strategic issues of customs management, including cooperation with other countries.

HOW THE "SOVEREIGN'S PEOPLE"ARE COMPLETED AND PROMOTED

The HR Department is responsible for working with customs personnel, training and professional development of employees. The status of the public service, which includes customs, is determined in Japan by the Constitution. According to its 15th article, "all public officials are servants of the whole society, and not of any one part of it", and therefore should, first of all, think not about personal, but about the public interest.⁸

The entire system of service in public institutions in Japan is based on the principles of lifelong employment, regular rotation, on-the-job training, and reputation care. All civil servants are divided into eight ranks, and each rank, in turn, has 15 categories. The rank depends on the position held by a person in the state structure, and the rank depends on the length of service, education, characteristics, etc.

Appointments to the civil service, including customs authorities, are made on the basis of competitive examinations. They are open to all Japanese citizens; the time and place of their holding are reported in the media. A similar system was introduced in Japan at the end of the XIX century. and it still operates almost unchanged. Competitive examinations are organized by the State Human Resources Department under the Cabinet of Ministers: it has a special examination department. This body operates independently of the Parliament and the Government, and the customs administration cannot influence the results of the exam in any way.

The content of competitive exams and their conditions are identical for most government agencies. They are held separately for different groups, depending on their education. So, the exam of the 1st level is passed by persons who have a university education. Those who have passed it, as a rule, later become managers. Japanese students with incomplete higher education or corresponding qualifications are allowed to take the 2nd level exam. To pass the Level 3 exam, a high school diploma or a proper qualification is sufficient.

Those who have successfully passed the written exam and passed an interview with the State Human Resources Department will have an additional interview-directly in the state body where their service will take place. As for the customs sphere, those who have passed the level 1 exam are invited to the personnel department of the Customs and Tariff Bureau, and those who have passed the level 2 and 3 exam are interviewed in the personnel departments of regional customs administrations.

Competitive exams (Mid-career exams) are also used for promotion. They are also held annually by the State Human Resources Department. According to Japanese law, everyone is eligible for promotion and can participate in competitive exams. However, there are a number of conditions imposed on applicants for leadership positions. First of all, this is an educational qualification. Without a higher education, a person cannot expect to be appointed head of a section or department. The competition for such exams is traditionally very high (25-40 people per place), but their successful passing does not mean automatic appointment to the position. This is usually preceded by at least a six-month probationary period.

When moving up the career ladder, the employee's work experience and business qualities are also taken into account, which are constantly studied by personnel structures. Each employee's contribution to the common cause is evaluated by their immediate supervisor. By constantly monitoring his subordinates (including by interviewing colleagues), he records all the achievements and mistakes of the employee, regularly informing him about them in informal letters. Every year, a corresponding report is prepared for the higher authorities, consisting of two parts. In the first part, special columns are marked "excellent" or "insufficient" for initiative, discipline, ability to complete tasks on time, thorough documentation processing, and ability to build relationships in the team. The second part of the report is descriptive: it usually contains a generalized description of the employee, compiled on the basis of informal letters.

In addition, Japanese government agencies have "achievement cards" that record the most significant achievements of each employee. HR departments also accumulate a variety of unofficial information about employees obtained from conversations with their superiors, colleagues, etc. All this information, the objectivity of which is ensured by using various sources, is stored in the employee's personal file. It significantly affects the trajectory of rotation and further career development.

According to the principle of personnel rotation, the career of a Japanese employee involves regular movement horizontally and vertically. His consent to this is requested only if the transfer is related to a change of place of residence. Most often, a specialist's career in Japan is horizontal in nature. Interdepartmental mobility is almost nonexistent, while the movement of officials within the department is quite frequent. A mid-level manager, for example, moves to other departments every 3 to 4 years, occupying positions equal to their previous status, and only then is promoted vertically to a higher position. This allows the agency to improve the level of competence of managers and staff qualifications at no extra cost, providing flexibility in the personnel structure, improving the system of horizontal links between departments and services, and solving the problem of interchangeability.

A specific feature of the Japanese personnel policy is the cult of education. Having a university degree gives an employee a number of advantages at all stages of their career. So, if people with secondary and special technical education receive the 2nd category of the 8th rank when entering the service, then university graduates are immediately enrolled in the 7th rank. With further professional advancement, university graduates also receive a number of privileges and benefits. At the same time, the status of the university is also important. Priority traditionally belongs to the University of Tokyo: its graduates are much faster than others to pass the lower rungs of the administrative ladder and reach senior positions. Special knowledge and legal education also provide great advantages. The latter is held by the overwhelming majority (about 70%) of high-ranking officials.⁹

LEARN AND RETRAIN

Training and professional development of personnel is central to the Japanese customs system.

The main tasks of training and professional development of personnel for Japanese Customs are assigned to the Customs Institute, which, along with other customs authorities, is part of the Ministry of Finance of Japan.¹⁰ His duties are defined by article 70 of the Ministry of Finance's Rules of Operation and involve not only training personnel for Japanese customs authorities, but also promoting international cooperation by training customs specialists from other countries.

Training at the Institute has three main goals:

improving the cultural level of customs officials;

Table

Curriculum of specialized courses of the Customs Institute for the 2011/12 academic year

The table is compiled by: Compendium of Activities. Customs Training Institute, Ministry of Finance, Japan, WCO Regional Training Centre 2011/12.

- develop the moral qualities necessary for this job, such as strict adherence to ethical standards, a sense of duty, etc.;

- providing an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for working in customs authorities, as well as learn how to apply them in practice in order to perform their duties on time and with high quality.

All training programs of the Customs Institute are divided into four categories: general courses; management courses; technical training; and international courses. In addition, there is a gradation of students (levels 1 - 3) depending on their education and the type of exam they passed when entering the service. ¹¹ It is noteworthy that in the Japanese customs authorities, as in other government departments of this country, employees of all levels up to the highest are retrained and advanced.

On-the-job training at the Customs Institute is mainly intended for those who are entering the customs service for the first time. All new students are required to take an introductory course at the central department of the Institute. For level 1 trainees (with higher education, but no practical work experience), the duration of training is approximately one month, during which they are introduced to the principles of customs and the policy of the Ministry of Finance of Japan. After completing the course, they are assigned to their duty stations and continue their training in the course of day-to-day service under the guidance of senior officers, acquiring the basic knowledge and skills necessary for the performance of official duties.

Students of the 2nd level and the special program for promoted positions study together at the Institute for two and a half months. They acquire a wide range of knowledge on customs administration, laws and regulations relevant to customs. Career development training is intended for employees who are being promoted to a higher position and who need additional knowledge and skills to meet the requirements set by it. In Japan, when planning career development, it is considered preferable to increase the potential of employees in advance, while they still occupy the current position on the career ladder.

Level 3 listeners have

an even broader training program: for six months they receive lectures not only on customs disciplines, but also on economics and international law. They also learn the rules of etiquette, improve sports skills, including traditional sports (judo, kendo, etc.).

For students of the 2nd and 3rd levels, there are advisers/supervisors who are appointed annually from among experienced employees of regional customs departments. They spend the entire training period with their students, monitoring the process and providing support if needed. It is considered that this assistance, first of all, should be aimed at educating future customs officers of a correct understanding of their duties to society. In fact, they become intermediaries between the students of the institute and its management. In addition, they explain the rules of the hostel to future customs officers, monitor their physical and mental health, plan and organize various activities during the training period.

Another type of training provided by the Customs Institute is advanced training of Customs officers. It takes place in general and specialized courses that have different durations: from a few days to three months. Thus, all level 2 employees after four years of work and level 3 employees after eight years of work complete a one-month training course at the central department of the Customs Institute, getting acquainted with current trends in customs affairs.

The two-month advanced training course is intended for department managers with less than a year of managerial experience. It consists of lectures and practical exercises in all areas of customs affairs. The curriculum of specialized courses organized in 2011/12 at the central Department of the Customs Institute is shown in the table.

In general, the recruitment of lecturers for training and advanced training of Japanese customs officers is made both from among customs officers and from persons who are not related to it, based on the following criteria: sufficient professional knowledge and skills in the discipline taught, knowledge of teaching methods. The management of the Customs Institute believes that involving customs officials in teaching has a number of significant advantages, since in their lectures they can focus on specific points encountered in their official activities and pass on their own experience to the audience. On the other hand, it is necessary to attract external lecturers to give lectures in theoretical disciplines, such as criminology or economics, as well as to teach foreign languages.

Special attention is paid to improving the skills of management personnel. The Institute offers several management training courses for managers at different levels. At the first steps of the career ladder, more attention is paid to technical aspects. In the future, the training program introduces issues of interaction with other bodies working in contact with customs, as well as personnel management issues.

These programs are based on the theory of working with people, knowledge of which is necessary for effective management of subordinates.

It is considered that professional training of customs officers is particularly effective when training at the Customs Institute is combined with on-the-job training. This is the system recommended by the Commission for Advanced Training of Russian Customs Officers. In cases of horizontal rotation of personnel, when an employee is transferred to another job in the customs authorities, the senior officers of the unit conduct an initial training course in the field of new duties with him. The advantages of this type of training are considered to be its practical orientation and cheapness due to the lack of additional costs.

Japan also believes that in order to perform high-level duties, customs officers must have flexibility, think globally, and easily absorb new ideas. Training of customs personnel is also aimed at developing these qualities both within the walls of the Customs Institute and directly in the course of service.

A common way to improve the skills of Japanese customs officers is self-training. In this way, in particular, foreign languages, accounting are mastered, and preparations are made for the qualification exam in the specialty - according to the plan of regional branches of customs or the Customs Institute. The Institute's management welcomes self-training in every possible way and provides financial support to those employees who acquire additional knowledge and skills outside the office premises in their free time. All expenses for materials for self-training are initially borne by the student himself, but upon completion of training for the planned course, he is reimbursed from 50 to 100% of the costs.

The Customs Institute has a Center for International Customs Cooperation / International Training Department. It has been organizing international training courses since 1970, and since that time has played a crucial role in organizing international cooperation between the two countries.-

national training of customs officers by the Japanese Customs Administration. Within the framework of Japan's technical cooperation program with other countries, the Customs Institute regularly conducts training courses for customs officials of developing countries - together with the Customs and Tariff Bureau and regional customs offices, according to jointly developed plans. The courses are funded from three sources: the bilateral assistance and technical cooperation program of the Customs and Tariff Bureau of Japan with the customs authority of another country, the Customs Cooperation Fund of the World Customs Organization, or the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

During the first decade of the XXI century, the following courses were conducted::

1. Promotion of international trade;

2. Customs assessment;

3. Post-customs audit;

4. Classification and system of rules for passing goods;

5. Rules for determining the origin of goods;

6. Protection of intellectual property;

7. Managing the training system;

8. Seminar on Customs Administration;

9. Training courses on the specifics of the customs legislation of individual countries.

The International Training Department also develops and conducts advanced training courses on law enforcement measures during customs inspection, copyright protection, training dogs for drug detection, etc. There is also a scholarship/internship program for both Japanese customs authorities and customs offices in the Asia-Pacific region. Since June 2004, the Customs Institute has been considered the regional Asia-Pacific training center of the World Customs Organization and since then has been a venue for regional seminars and conferences on customs control issues.

An analysis of the personnel policy and professional training of Japanese customs officers shows that they are very specific and significantly different from similar work in other countries. This is largely due to the peculiarities of Japanese management. In Japanese society, the well-being of the group is traditionally valued above the individual, so social harmony, unity and loyalty always come first, and the group is at the center, not the individual. For Japanese people, a team is a traditional form of existence, and they work more effectively as a group than other peoples, especially when they are faced with a difficult task. For the sake of the common good, putting the interests of the group first and being disciplined, the Japanese are capable of extraordinary efforts.

With a fairly rigid vertical hierarchy, the significance of the status of a leader in Japan is not exaggerated: any boss is quite accessible here. Japanese people show respect not for a person's position, but for their personal achievements and experience. An effective leader is someone "who has the ability to activate the energy of the group to the highest point, pretending that he does not know what is happening until he is completely in control of the situation ...he is adept at getting followers around him who can be trusted; he has the ability to instruct subordinates without saying a word. " ¹² All these psychological features and features of the Japanese mentality are laid down in the basis of personnel management, the system of professional training, motivation and incentive to work.

The Japanese civil service, which is well-trained and incorruptible, is characterized by traditional respect for the status of a civil servant, strict control over the civil service system, as well as effective training and retraining of personnel due to the principle of lifelong employment and constant technological changes. Even when trying to adopt and implement the principles of Western management style, the Japanese adapt them to their own conditions, choosing those that are most consistent with their national values.

¹ President of Russia. Official saigas. Vladimir Putin took part in the APEC Business Summit 7.09.2012 -http://xndlabbgf6aiiy.xnp1ai/%DO%Bl)%DO%ВF%DO%В2% 1)0% ВЕ%D1%81% 1)1%82%1)0%В8/16410

² APFC Leaders address Customs issues in Vladivostok Declaration - www.wcoomd. org/en/media/newsroom/2012/september/ap ec-leaders-declaration.aspx

³ Customs clearance hinders the shipment of Japanese cargo - http://www.tks.ru/ ncws/nearby/2010/05/05/0002

⁴ Results of 2010 / / DV customs Administration - www.dvtu.eustoins.ru

⁵ Ibid., p. 29.

⁶ World Customs Organization Annual Report 2011 - 2012 - http://www.wcoomd.org/ cn/topics/Vniedia/WCO/Public/Global/PDF/Media/WCO%20Annual%20Report/Annual_Rep ort_2011 -12_en.ashx

^{Aoyama Yukiyasu.} 7 Perspectives of Customs in the 21st Century: From the Fxperience of Japan Customs // World Ctislomsjournal, 2012. V. 2, N 1.

⁸ Constitution of Japan / / Megaencyclopedia of Cyril and Methodius - www.mega-book.ru/Article.asp?AID=641798

^{9. Chubinsky V. V.} 9 Gosudarstvennoe upravlenie i gosudarstvenetvepiaya sluzhba za rubezhom [State Administration and Public Service abroad]. Япония - ww.cvcppk.ru/gosudarst-vennoe-upravlenie-i-gosudarstvcnnaya-sluz/3638-yaponiya-2.html

¹⁰ Customs Training Institute (Japan) -www.customs.go.jp/cti/top_eng.html

¹¹ Compendium of Activities. Customs Training Institute. Ministry of Finance, Japan. WCO Regional Training Centre. 2011/12. Tokyo, 2011. P. 7.

^{Kuznetsova N. V.} 12 Universality of Japanese management // Proceedings of the Eastern Institute of the Far Eastern State University. Japan. Vladivostok, 1998, p. 19.

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