About Our Logo and Catchphrase
The logo
From March 19 to May 9, 2008, we publicly advertised for the design of a logo of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). The purposes of creating the logo were to enhance the Ministry’s corporate governance and to bring about a change in the staff’s mind-set, by returning to the original purpose of the government services on health, labour and welfare that meet the public expectations.
As a result, we received a total of 706 proposals from 393 applicants, ranging in age from 14 and 94.
After screening the applications, we selected work of Mr. Yoshiaki Hidaka, a graphic designer and a resident of Toyonaka-shi, Osaka, as the Ministry’s logo.
The concept of the logo
The logo was designed in the image of the public (men and women of all ages) rejoicing. It means that people take each other’s hands and aim for happiness as one. A picture of a happy heart is hidden between two joyful persons.
The catchphrase
Together with the creation of the logo, the below catchphrase was formulated, in order to serve as “the pillar for promoting the MHLW staff to be unified in their resolve to realize the ideal of health, labour, and welfare administration supported by the public.”
For people, for life, for the future
※The above catchphrase succinctly expresses the idea that MHLW undertakes a role of protecting people and their lives not only in the present but for the future.
Moreover, in order to achieve the purpose of the catchphrase, the action guidelines below are set forth for the Ministry employees to abide by:
The action guidelines
The Ministry acts based on the following 4 guidelines, in order to fulfill the role of “protecting people and their lives not only in the present but also for the future,” which is implied in the catchphrase.
- We carry out our tasks in a fair manner by high ethical standards.
- We provide administrative services in response to the demands of the public and times.
- We act from the standpoint of individual citizens.
- We aim for an open government by widely providing information in an easy-to-understand manner.
Furthermore, in order to put the above action guidelines into practice, we bear in mind the following daily in performing our duties and striving to be an active organization.
- We carry out our work efficiently and quickly by approaching our job with pride and a sense of responsibility.
- We find issues on our own initiative and work together for their solution.
- We endeavor to keep up our level of ability and keep improving ourselves.
(For reference) The background of the formulation of the catchphrase
- Together with the public recruitment of the logo, a project team for studying the Ministry’s mission—composed of junior officers—was set up within MHLW.
- We sought ideas from the MHLW staff so that it represented the thoughts of a wide range of employees.
[In 17 days, a total of 1,513 applications were made by employees of the Ministry, Regional Bureaus, and External Bureaus (including part-time workers).] - 13 catchphrases, screened by the project team and closely examined by the Public Relations Committee, were proposed to the MHLW staff and a vote was taken on them. Also, the action guidelines were proposed to them and comments were invited from them.
- Based on the results of the vote and comments received, the catchphrase and the action guidelines were drawn up.