The Statistics Law

(Object of the Law) Article 1. This Law aims at securing the truthfulness of statistics, eliminating the duplication of statistical investigation, consolidating the system of statistics, and planning to improve and develop the statistical institution.

(Designated statistics) Article 2. The designated statistics described in this Law mean those which have been prepared by or sponsored by the government or public corporation and which have been designated and notified to the public by the Statistics Committee.

(Investigation of the designated statistics) Article 3. The investigation to be made with the purpose of compiling the designated statistics (hereinafter shall be cited as the investigation of the designated statistics) shall be conducted in accordance with this Law, and not with provisions of other laws. The matters necessary for conducting the investigation of the designated statistics besides the provisions of this Law shall be provided by ordinances.

(National Population Census (Kokusei-Chosa) Article 4. The National Population census which is undertaken by the Government and designated and notified to the public by the Statistics Committee shall be called "The Kokusei-Chosa." The "Kokusei-Chosa" shall be undertaken every five years. At the interval of the period mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the temporary census may be undertaken with the approval of the Statistics Committee.

(Obligation of reporting) Article 5. For the investigation of the designated statistics, the government may order a person or a juridical person to report. In case the person ordered to report in accordance with the preceding paragraph is found to be a minority or an incompetent person not having the same capacity as an adult as regards the execution of business, or to be a juridical person, his or her legal representative or the director of the juridical person or such person representing it as may be provided by Law shall be placed under obligation to report on behalf of, or as the representative of, the person concerned.

(Statistics Committee) Article 6. The matters relating to the Statistics Committee shall be provided by an Imperial Ordinance besides the provisions of this Law.

(Approval of the investigation of the designated statistics) Article 7. In case of the investigation of the designated statistics, the person conducting the investigation shall obtain in advance the approval of the Statistics Committee concerning the following matters in relation to the investigation. However, the matters mentioned in item 3 may be excepted, in the application of Article 16. 1. Purpose, items, scope, date, and method. 2. Items to be collected and composed and method thereof. 3. Method and date of publication of the result obtained. 4. Period of preserving the documents concerned, and the responsible person for it. 5. Estimate of expense, and other matters required by the Statistics Committee. No suspension of the investigation or alteration of the matters as approved in accordance with the preceding paragraph, shall be made without further approval of the Statistics Committee. In case the Statistics Committee deems it necessary to make alteration concerning the matters provided in paragraph 1, the Statistics Committee may request the person conducting the investigation to do so.

(Notification of the statistical investigation) Article 8. In case of conducting the statistical investigation other than that of the designated statistics, the person conducting the investigation shall notify to the Statistics Committee the matters provided in item 1 of paragraph 1 of the preceding Article in relation to the investigation. The scope and other matters to be notified in accordance with the provision of the preceding paragraph shall be provided by the ordinance.

(Authority of the Statistics Committee) Article 9. The Statistics Committee may perform the following matters if necessary: 1. Requiring the Government Offices concerned and others to submit the materials or reports relating to the designated statistics and other statistics. 2. Requiring the Government Offices and public corporations concerned to conduct or suspend the investigation of the designated statistics or to alter or suspend other statistical investigations. 3. Examining the condition of the investigation of the designated statistics conducted by the Government Offices concerned and others, and submitting its opinion to the Prime Minister, when the revision of the investigation is deemed necessary, or advising them on its revision.

(Staffs concerned in statistics) Article 10. Government officials to engage in the business concerning the investigation of the designated statistics shall be limited to the persons appointed the statistical officers. Officials of the public corporation or staffs of the other organizations who engage in the business of the investigation of the designated statistics shall have the special qualification necessary for the performance of their duty. The necessary matters relating to the statistical officers and the scope and qualification of the staffs mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall be provided by the ordinance upon recommendations of the Statistics Committee. In case of the approval of the Statistics Committee the persons other than those prescribed in paragraphs 1 and 2 may be engaged in the business of the designated statistics.

Article 11. In case the statistical officers and officials prescribed respectively in paragraphs 1 and 2 of the preceding Article are dismissed from their service or transferred to other service against their will, they may state the cases to the Statistics Committee. However, this paragraph shall not apply when dismissal or transfer is effected in accordance with Imperial Ordinances. In the case of the preceding paragraph, the Statistics Committee may examine into cases and express its opinion in relation to the matter to the superior officer in charge in case of the statistical officer, and to the person having authority over the personal administration in case of the staff other than the statistical officer.

Enumeraters) Article 12. The Government may appoint the enumeraters if necessary for conducting the investigation of the designated statistics. The matters relating to the enumeraters shall be provided by the ordinance.

(Field Investigation) Article 13. The person mentioned in paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of Article 10 and preceding Article may enter the necessary areas, examine, and request to submit the materials or ask questions to the persons concerned in connection with the matters approved by the Statistics Committee. In these cases, he shall present a certificate showing his official duties.

(Safeguard of secrecy) Article 14. The secret matters of the person, legal person or other bodies found as the result of the investigation of the designated statistics shall be safeguarded.

Article 15. No person must use investigation card collected for the purpose of compiling the designated statistics except for the statistical purpose. The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall not be applied to the case in which the purpose of its use is published with the approval of the Statistics Committee.

(Publication of the result) Article 16. The result of the investigation of the designated statistics shall be published as quickly as possible, but it may not be published in case of the approval of the Statistics Committee.

(Aid of expense) Article 17. The national treasury shall aid the whole or a part of the expense defrayed by public corporations for the investigation of the designated statistics within the limits of the budget upon recommendation of the Statistics Committee.

(Penalty) Article 18. The person coming under the following items shall be subject to penal servitude or an imprisonment not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding five thousand yen. 1. The person who fails to make a report or makes a false report, when ordered to submit a report under the provisions of Article 5. 2. The person who prevents another from making a report on the investigation concerning which the latter was ordered to make under Article 5. 3. The person who rejects, interrupts, or evades the examination prescribed in Article 13, or does not submit the materials for investigation, or submits false materials, or makes false statement in answering questions. 4. The person engaging in the business of the investigation of the designated statistics or others who make the result of the investigation of the designated statistics untruthful.

Article 19. In case the members of the Statistics Committee, statistical officers, or other persons engaging in the business of the investigation of the designated statistics, or enumeraters, or the persons who were formally in the service of these kinds, should betray or steal the secret matter of the person, legal person or other organization found in the performance of their duty, they shall be subject to a penal servitude not exceeding one year or a fine not exceeding five thousand yen. Excepting in case of the approval of the Statistics Committee, if those persons mentioned in the preceding paragraph reveal or steal the result collected and composed before the date of publication in accordance with the provisions of Article 7, they shall be subject to a fine not exceeding five thousand yen. In case public officials or ex-officials other than the persons mentioned in the first paragraph know the matters mentioned in the foregoing two paragraphs in execution of their duties and commit the same act, they shall be subject to the same penalty.

Supplementary Provisions:

Article 20. The date of the enforcement of this Law shall be fixed by an Imperial Ordinance.

Article 21. The National Resources Investigation Act, Law No.49, 1902, and Law No.52, 1922, shall be abolished.

Article 22. The Imperial Ordinances or the ordinances issued under the Laws mentioned in the preceding Article shall be regarded as the Imperial Ordinances or the ordinances issued in accordance with the provisions of this Law.

Article 23. Within three months after the enforcement of this Law, the investigation of the designated statistics may be conducted without the approval prescribed in Article 7, when the Statistics Committee permits it.