Article 1.　All the Nation shall endeavour to have the children born and grown up with healthy mind and body.

Article 2.　The State and the local public bodies as well as the guardians of the children shall be responsible for their healthy growth both in mind and body.

Article 3.　Those stipulated in the preceding two Articles pointing out the principle to insure the welfare of the children shall be always borne in mind in the enforcement of all the laws and ordinance's relating to the children.

Article 19.　The governors of Metropolis, Hokkaido and the prefectures shall encourage the expectan and nursing mothers or the guardians of the infants and the preschool children to receive the health guidance by the health centers, physicians, midwives or public health nurses for the maternity and children's health.

Article 20.　The woman who has conceived shall report her pregnancy to the mayor of the city, or headman of the town or village with a diagnosis paper of pregnancy written by the physician or the midwife as soon as she is able;provided however, that the diagnosis paper is not necessary in the case there is any adequate reason such as the absence of a physician or a midwife within reasonable reach.

Article 21.　The governors of Metropolis, Hokkaido and prefectures shall, in accordance with the provisions of the Order, issue the Maternal-&-child handbook for each expectant mother who has reported her pregnancy provided under the preceding Article.

Article 22.　The mayor of a city, or headman of a town or village shall admit the expectant mothers who are unable, for the financial reason, to demand the admission in hospital for diliverv even when it is necessary for their health, to the lying-in agency for delivery when it is necessary for their health;provided that it shall not apply in the case it cannot be carried out for any adequate reason such as the absence of the lying-in agency within reasonable reach.

Article 23.　The mayor of the city, or headman of the town or village shall admit to the mothers'home and give protection for the widowed women or the women under the equivalent circumstances and their children when he deems the welfare of such children is endangered otherwise; provided that, it shall not apply in the case it cannot be carried out for any adequate reason such as the absence of the mothers'home within reasonable reach.

Article 24.　The mayor of a city, or headman of a town or village shall admit the infants and the preschool children to the day nursery for their care whose guardians are considered not able to give them an adequate care due to their work or the reasons such as the illness etc.; provided that, it shall not apply in the case it cannot be carried out for any adequate reason such as the absence of the day nursery within reasonable reach.

Article 25.　Any person who has discovered the child without guardian or with inadequate guardian shall report the child to the Child Welfare Station or its Officers; provided that, children who come under the protective measures of the Juvenile Court shall be outside the scope of the provision.

Article 26.　The head of the Child Welfare Station shall take up, in accordance with the provisions of the Order, any procedure of the following items for such children reported under the provisions of the preceding Article when it is deemed to be necessary. The same procedure shall applly when the children come to or are brought to the station for consultation:

Article 27.　The governor of Metropolis, Hokkaido or the prefecture shall take up any procedure of the following items for the child reported as provided under the preceding Article, Paragraph 1, Item 1, in accordance with the provisions of the Order;

Article 28.　The governor of Metropolis, Hokkaido or the prefecture may take any of the procedures the following items in the case the guardian so abuses the child or is so neglectful as the violation of the penal laws or the danger of the same may be indicated and the holder of parental right over the child is against the procedure of the preceding Article Paragraph 1, Item 3:

Article 29.　The governor of Metropolis, Hokkaido or the prefecture may order the child welfare workers or public officials concerned with the child welfare work to step in the place where the child is, his residence or the premise where such occupation has been practiced and make the necessary investigations or ask questions. In this case, such public officials shall bear the certificate to show their official capacity.

Article 30.　The governor of Metropolis, Hokkaido or the prefecture may ask the foster parents to submit the necessary reports about the children placed under their care.

Article 31.　The Minister of Welfare or the governor of Metropolis, Hokkaido or the prefecture may extend up to twenty years of age the care of the child in the home for feebleminded children, the home for physically handicapped children or the home for juvenile training and education under the provision of Article 27, Paragraph 1, Item 3; provided that, it shall apply only in the case the Child Welfare Station reviews such case individually and determines the need for such action.

Article 32.　The governor of Metropolis, Hokkaido or the prefecture may vest the head of Child Welfare Station with the whole or a part of the power to take the procedures provided under Article 27, Paragraph 1.

Article 33.　The head of the Child Welfare Station may, when he deems it necessary, place such child pending the decision of dispositions provided under Article 26, Paragraph 1 under the protection of the temporary shelter or consign a suitable individual for a temporary care.

Article 34.　No one shall be allowed any action of the following items:

Article 35.　The State, Metropolis, Hokkaido and the prefecture shall establish the child welfare agencies in accordance with the provisions of the Order.

Article 36.　Josan-shisetsu (lying-in agency) shall be an agency to admit and render maternity services for such expectant mothers who are unable, for the financial reason, to demand the admission and treatment in the agencies even when it is necessary for their health.

Article 37.　Nyuji-in (infant home) shall be an agency to give the infants indoor care.

Article 38.　Boshi-ryo (mothers'home) shall be an agency to admit and give protection for widowed women or the women under the equivalent circumstances with their dependent children.

Article 39.　Hoikujo (day nursery) shall be an agency to give daily care for the infants and the preschool children by requests of their guardians.

Article 40.　Jido-kosei-shisetsu (children's recreational agencies) shall be agencies aiming at the facilities for children healthy play for the promotion of thier health and cultivation of their sentiment such as the children's playground and the children's center etc.

Article 41.　Yogo-shisetsu (agencies for dependent children) shall be agencies aiming at the protection by indoor care for those children, except the infants, without guardians, maltreated, or who are deprived of the adequate care.

Article 42.　Seishin-hakujakuji-shisetsu (home for feebleminded children) shall be an agency to admit the feebleminded children for care and to give them educations necessary for their future self suport.

Article 43.　Ryoiku-shisetsu (home for physically handicapped children) shall be the agencies to admit physically weak children for the promotion of their health conditions in the suitable environment or the physically handicapped children to give them therapeutic treatments and vocational guidance for their future self support.

Article 44.　Kyogo-in (home for juvenile training and education) shall be the agency to admit and guide the delinquent and predelinquent children.

Article 45.　The Minister of Welfare shall establish the minimum standards for the equipments and operation of the child welfare agencies after referring to the opinion of the Central Child Welfare Committee.

Article 46.　In order to keep the minimum standards under the provision of the preceding Article the administrative office may require the heads of such agencies to submit the necessary reports or send the public officials concerned with the child welfare work for investigation.

Article 47.　The heads of the child welfare agencies may assume the parental right over the children in their charge when it is necessary. They shall not, however, exercise it over the supervision of the properties which belong to such children when there are parents for these children.

Article 48.　The education of the children in the homes for dependent, feebleminded and physically handicapped children who fall under the provision of the School Education Law, Article 22 or 39, shall be given in accordance with the provision of the School Education Law.

Article 49.　Besides those provided for by this Law, necessary matters relating to the personnel for the Child Welfare Agencies and the said agencies shall be determined by the Order.

Article 50.　The expenses mentioned in the following items shall be borne by Metropolis, Hokkaido or the prefecture:

Article 51.　Expenses mentioned in the following items shall be borne by cities, towns and villages:

Article 52.　The National Treasury shall subsidize, in accordance with the provisions of the Cabinet Order, one half of the expenses required for the provisions of Article 50, Items 1, 2, 5 and 9 and Article 51, Item 2 (and from one half to one-third inclusive for the expenses on equipments at the mother home, the day-nursery and the homes for physically handicapped children in Article 50 Item 9 and Article 51 Item 2); provided that, with the expenses under Article 50, Item 2 and Article 51, Item 2, it shall not apply to the expenses for the equipments of the infant homes other than those with the object of admitting infants for whom the fee for admission cannot be charged and of the children's recreational agencies.

Article 53.　The National Treasury shall be subsidize, in accordance with the provisions of the Cabinet Order, eight-tenths of the expenses borne by the local public bodies provided under Articles 50 and 51 besides the provisions of the preceding Article.

Article 54.　Metropolis, Hokkaido or the prefectures shall, in accordance with the provisions of the Cabinet Order, subsidize one-fourth of the expenses required for the provision of Article 51, Item 2 (and from one-third to one-fourth inclusive for the equipments of the mothers'home, the day nursery and the homes for physically handicapped children); provided that, it shall not apply to the expenses for the equipments of the infant homes other than those with the object of admitting infants for whom the fee for admission cannot be charged and of the children's recreational agencies.

Article 55.　Metropolis, Hokkaido and the prefecture shall in accordance with the Cabinet Order, subsidize one-tenth of the expenses required for the provision of Article 51 Item 1.

Article 56.　Minister of Welfare, the governors of Metropolis, Hokkaido and the prefectures or the mayor of a city, headman of a town or village shall collect, with a certin time limit, fee for the expesses falling under any of the following items from those cared for or persons responsible for the care of such individuals; provided that, it shall not apply when it is ascertained by the mayor of the city, or headinan of the twon and village, after consulting the opinion of the child welfare official or the Child Welfare Worker, that the person cared for or persons responsible for the care of such individuals are unable to meet the expenses:

Article 57.　Metropolis, Hokkaido, Prefectures, cities, towns, villages and other public bodies shall not levy taxes or other duties on the lands and buildings for the mentioned in the following items. It shall not apply to those on charge basis:

Article 58.　The administrative office may withdraw the certificate of approval from the child welfare agencies established with the approval under the provision of Article 35, Paragraph 2, in the case they violated this Law, the Order under the said Law or the dispositions derived from the Law.

Article 59.　Any person who is dissatisfied with the disposition made by the Minister of Welfare, the governors of Metropolis, Hokkaido or the prefectures, or the mayors of cities, or headmen of towns or villages and or heads of the Child Welfare Stations derived from the provisions of this Law and its orders, may appeal at the administrative office.

Article 60.　Any person who has violated the provisions of Article 34, Paragraph 1, Item 6 shall be imprisoned for a period not exceeding ten years or fined over 2,000 yen and not in excess of 30,000 yen.

Article 61.　The employees of the Child Welfare Station who made the investigation about the children and have revealed their personal secret learned in the course of executing their duties without due reason shall be punished by imprisonment not exceeding six months or fine not exceeding 3,000 yen.

Article 62.　Any person who without due reason, refuses, interferes with or avoids the execution of duties by the child welfare workers or the public officials concerned with the child welfare work under the provision of Article 29 or who does not answer their questions or makes a false statement or who forces the child not to answer or to make false answer, shall be fined not in excess of 5,000 yen.