I hereby promulgate the Public Bath Law.
Signed:HIROHITO, Seal of the Emperor
This twelfth day of the seventh month of the twenty-third year of Showa (July 12, 1948)
Prime Minister ASHIDA Hitoshi
Public Bath Law
Article 1. "Public Bath" in this Law shall mean the facilities to let the public take baths by the use of water which include warm water, warm salt water, hot spring, etc.
"Bath-house business" in this Law shall mean the management of the public bath-house as a professional business, obtaining the permit from the prefectural governor.
Article 2. Any person who wants to be engaged in the bath-house business shall obtain a permit from the prefectural governor and shall pay the fee as fixed by Cabinet Order.
The prefectural governor may refuse the permit as provided for in the preceding paragraph in case he finds the situation of the public bath-house, the struoture or accommodation thereof is improper from the standpoint of public health. But such denial shall be made in writing, with a statement of the reason therefor.
Article 3. Any person who is engaged in the bath-house business (to be called the person engaged in the business hereinafter) shall take necessary measures for sanitation and decency of bathers such as ventilation, lighting, illumination, heating, cleanliness and other measures in public bath-house.
The standards of the measures under the preceding paragraph shall be fixed by prefectural regulations.
Artitle 4. The person engaged in the business shall refuse bathing to those who are recognized as afflicted with infectious diseases or those who are recognized as mental patients liable to give troubles to other bathers;excepting those bathing establishments designated for the purpose of medical treatment of diseases and having obtained the permit of the prefectural governor as much, in accordance with the provisions of Ministerial Ordinance.
Article 5. The bathers shall not commit any deed liable to give harm to public sanitation such as soiling inside the bath in the public bath-house.
The person engaged in the business or the manager of the public bath-house shall restrain the deeds under the preceding paragraph.
Article 6. The prefectural governor, in case he finds it necessary, may claim the necessary report from the person engaged in the business or others concerned, or may have the competent officials enter the public bath-houses to examine the state of execution of the necessary measures provided for in Art.3, Par.1.
In case the competent officials enter and make the examination in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, they shall carry with them the identification cards and, when demanded by the person concerned, they shall present the cards to him.
Article 7. In case the person engaged in the business offends against the provisions of Art.3, Par.1, the prefectural governor may cancel the permit provided for in Art.2, Par.1, or give an order to suspend the business for a fixed term.
No permit shall be cancelled or business suspended by the governor of the urban or local prefecture except after a written notice is given to the person engaged in business of the offences alleged to have been committed by him and after an opportunity is given to him to slead for himself at a public hearing at which he may appear in person or by councel and present evidence in his behalf.
Article 8. Any one who comes under any of the following items shall be punished with the penal servitude of not more than 6 months or a fine of not more than 5,000 yen:
1. Any one who offends against the provisions of Art.2, Par.1;
2. Any one who offends against the order as provided for in Art.7, Par.1.
Article 9. Any one who does not make the report provided for in Art.6, Par, 1, or makes a false report, or refuses;resists or evades the examination by the competent officials, shall be punished with a fine of not more than 1,000 yen.
Article 10. Any one who comes under any of the following items shall be punished with the detention or minor fine:
1. Any one who offends against the previsions of Art.4 or Art.5, Par.2;
2. Any one who takes a bath against the refusal by the person engaged in the business or who offends against the provisions of Art.5, Par.1.
Article 11. In case the representative of a corporation, or the deputy, employee or other worker of a corporation or person violates the provisions of Art.8, Art.9 or Item 1 of the preceding Article concerning the business of the said corporation or person, such corporation or person shall be punished with the fine or administrative fine under each of the said Articles besides the punishment to the actual offender.
Supplementary Provisions:
Article 12. This Law shall come into force as from July 15, 1948.
Article 13. Any person who is actually engaged in the public bath-house business, at the time of the enforcement of this Law, with the permit of the business or with the report about the business in accordance with the provisions of the old Ordinances, shall be regarded as given the permit of Art.2, Par.1.
Article 14. Any person who has newly begun the public bath-house business during the period from January 1, 1948 to the date of the enforcement of this Law and is actually engaged in the business at the time of the enforcement of this Law, may continue the business for 2 months from the date of the enforcement of this Law, notwithstanding the provisions of Art.2, Par.1.
Any person coming under the preceding paragraph shall report the fact to the prefectural governor within 2 months from the date of the enforcement of this Law.
Any person who reports according to the provisions of the preceding paragraph shall be regarded as given the permit provided for in Art.2, Par.1.