Article 1.　The object of the present Law is, in view of the current economic conditions, to coordinate demands for and supplies of textbooks, to publish them quickly and surely and to maintain appropriate prices, for the purpose of achieving the object of school education without difficulty.

Article 2.　The term "textbook" in the present Law means those books for children or pupils provided for the teaching in the primary, lower secondary and upper secondary schools and schools on the equivalent levels as the main teaching materials in the courses organized and arranged in accordance with the construction of their curricula, which have been authorized, or of which the copyright is owned, by the Minister of Education.

2.　The term "publication" in the present Law means preparation, and distribution of textbooks, and the term "publisher" means one who manages the publication.

Article 3.　The textbook shall have the word "textbook" printed on its cover, and at its end the name of the author, the name and address of the publisher and the date of publication, as well as the name and address of the printer and the date of printing.

2.　If the author of the publisher is a juridical person or some other corporation, the name of such organization shall be written together with the name of the representative.

3.　In case the printer's address and the location of the printing office are not the same place, the name and location of the printing office shall be written.

Article 4.　The publisher of textbooks shall report to the Minister of Education the titles of the textbooks he is going to publish every year at the time designated by the Minister of Education.

Article 5.　Each prefectural governor shall hold a textbook exhibition every year during the period designated by the Minister of Education.

2.　The standard of the textbook exhibition shall be provided for in ordinance.

Article 6.　The Minister of Education shall make a catalogue of the textbooks on the basis of the report referred to in Article 4, and send its copies to each prefectural governer.

2.　The prefectural governor shall send the copies of the catalogue referred to in the preceding paragraph to the schools as provided for in Paragraph 1, Article 2, within the area of the prefecture.

3.　The publisher may exhibit at the textbook exhibition the samples of the textbooks of which titles he has reported to the Minister in accordance with Article 4.

Article 7.　The heads of government schools shall report the demanded number of textbooks to the prefectural governor.

2.　The prefectural governor shall report the number of the textbooks in demand within the area of the prefecture to the Minister of Education in accordance with the provisions of ordinance.

Article 8.　The Minister of Education shall designate the kinds and the numbers of the textbooks (hereinafter referred to as the designation of publication) to the publisher, on the basis of the numbers of books reported in accordance with Paragraph 2 of the preceding Article.

Article 9.　The Minister of Education may, in consideration of the will of those who demand, designate, the publication of the textbooks, to other publishers, in any of the following cases:

Article 10.　The person who has accepted the designation of publication shall have the obligation to publish the textbooks in accordance with the provisions of ordinance concerning the preparation, sale and distribution.

2.　The publisher shall be responsible for the publication until the time when the textbooks are handed to each school.

3.　The Minister of Education may, in case of need, demand a report from, or investigate the business of, the publisher.

Article 11.　The net price of the textbook shall be approved by the Minister of Education.

Article 12.　The publisher-shall pay the Minister of Education within fifteen days of the day he was designated for his publication, the caution-money amounting to 3% of the prices of the textbooks for publication in proportion to the number of volumes in cash or such kinds of securities as are provided for in ordinance.

Article 13.　No claim for the return, nor the cession of the credit of the caution-money shall be allowed, unless the obligation referred to in Article 10 has been fulfiled.

Article 14.　In case it has been recognized that there was an offence against the obligation referred to in Paragraph 1, Article 10, the Minister of Education may withdraw the designation of the publication or suspend the designation of publication for three years therefrom.

Article 15.　The Minister of Education may withdraw the whole or part of the designation of publication from the person who fails to pay the total or partial sum of the cautionmoney provided for in Article 12.

Article 16.　When it has been recognized that the publisher offended against the obligation referred to in Paragraph 1, Article 10, the caution-money may be confiscated to the national treasury.

Article 17.　Besides those provided for in the present Law, matters needed for the enforcement of the present Law shall be provided for in ordinance.

Article 18.　The provisions of the present Law shall also apply to the books other than textbooks that are used for educational purpose, but are designated by the Minister of Education.