Control Yuan member Dr. Chao had a meeting with Board of Directors of Japanese Association for Ombudsman Studies, Prof. Kimiyoshi Toyama and his Assistant, Yoshie Nishimura on March 15th, 2011. Chao paid his condolences to the grieving nation and expressed his desires to see the nation rise from the catastrophe.
Professor Toyama expressed gratitude over Dr. Chao’s support and encouragement. He had visited the Control Yuan in 2002. He also participated in the International Ombudsman Institute as Japan’s representative. His long history with the Control Yuan has enabled him to develop a deep friendship with the members of the Control Yuan. He was glad to have set foot in Taiwan and to have visited the Control Yuan. Mr. Toyama looks forward to learning more about the Control Yuan’s recent amendments and cases of supervision.
According to Dr. Chao, the Control Yuan is a constitutional organization; therefore, it is not only responsible for settling disputes among citizens but also impeaching or censuring irresponsible public officials and proposing corrective measures to government. It is also responsible to supervise government officials under the Sunshine Law which has been approved by the legislature in recent years. The Control Yuan has taken more duties upon itself since it became the supervisory agency of the Public Functionary Assets Declaration.
The Control Yuan has investigated numerous cases. For instance, Dr. Chao has handled the 1995 Wei Er Kang (Welcome) Restaurant fire, a disaster that left 64 dead. At the end of the investigation, the Control Yuan filed an impeachment against the mayor of Taichung and had him suspended for six months.
At the end of the meeting, Prof. Toyama made a tour of the Exhibition of the Control Yuan Archives, the Center for Accepting Complaints, and the Chamber to learn about how the Control Yuan wields its authority and carries out its jurisdiction.