Law Concerning Temporary Appointment of Parliamentary Vice-Ministers

Article 1. There may be appointed Parliament ary Vice-Ministers to the Attorney-General's Office, each Ministry and other Offices, Chiefs of which are provided by law or ordinance to be the Prime Minister of other Ministers of State. The number of Parliamentary Vice-Ministers shall be twenty-two. They shall be so appointed that the number of Parliamentary Vice-Ministers who are members of the House of Councillors does not exceed eleven respectively. Parliamentary Vice-Ministers shall be ranked first class officials.

Article 2. Each Parliamentary Vice-Minister shall assist the Chief of his office by participating in policy planning and taking charge of its affairs having connections with the Diet.

Article 3. Besides Parliamentary Vice-Ministers, Ministers of State and the Director-General of the Cabinet Secretariat may concurrently be members of the Diet.

Supplementary Provisions:

Article 4. This Law shall come into force as from the day of its promulgation.

Article 5. The Counselor of each Ministry shall be abolished.

Article 6. In Paragraph 1, Article 6 of Imperial Ordinance concerning Appointment and Promotion of Government Officials, "of each Ministry" shall read "and" and "Counselor of each Ministry" shall be deleted. In Article 1 of Imperial Ordinance concerning Status of Government Officials, "of each Ministry" and "Counselor of each Ministry" shall be deleted.

Article 7. The Election Law of Members of the House of Representatives shall partially be amended as follows:

Article 10. Deleted.

Article 8. The provisions of Articles 1 to 3 inclusive of this Law shall become null and void at the close of the Second Session of the Diet.