I hereby promulgate the Law for the Establishment of the Agency for the Affairs of Allocation of Paper for Newspapers and Publications.
Signed:HIROHITO, Seal of the Emperor
This third day of the eighth month of the twenty-third year of Shows (August 3, 1948)
Prime Minister ASHIDA Hitoshi
The Law for the Establishment of the Agency for the Affairs of Allocation of Paper for Newspapers and Publications
(Object and principle of establishment)
Article 1. Because the shortage of paper supply under the present state of national economy necessitates machinery to ensure equitable allocation among newspapers and publications of such paper as may be provided for this purpose, there shall be temporarily established by the present Law under the control of the Prime Minister an Agency for the Affairs of Allocation of paper for Newspapers and Publications (hereinafter to be called the Agency).
Article 2. Nobody shall interfere with freedom of expression or force upon others adherence to any particular thought by exerting pressure on, or by making use of paper allocation in any way.
(Scope of authority and responsibility)
Article 3. The scope of authority and responsibility of the Agency shall be as follows, and its functions shall be carried out within the aforesaid scope in accordance with the laws and orders based on laws:
1. To accept and examine applications for allocation of paper for newspapers and publications and to make draft plan of allocation which shall be presented to the Council of the Allocation of Paper for Newspapers and Publications (hereinafter in this Article to be called the Council);
2. To issue allocation tickets or to revoke them in case of necessity in accordance with the resolutions made by the Council;
3. To exercise surveillance over the delivery and consumption of allocated paper for newspapers and publications, and to take proper measures in case any facts of violations of rules and regulations are found;
4. To accept written pleas and objections concerning allocation of paper and refer them to the Council for consideration;
5. To investigate and collect materials on matters related with the preceding items;
6. To preserve records of the meetings of the Council and the Panels and make them accessible for review to any interested party;
7. To publish the results of allocation.
The Prime Minister, when he deems it especially necessary, can entrust the affairs of control within the scope of his authority in accordance with Article I to one of the State Ministers.
(Staff and organization)
Article 4. The chief of the Agency shall be the Director of the Agency.
The Director of the Agency shall take charge of the matters enumerated in Article 3.
Necessary matters concerning the staff of the Agency other than those provided for by this Law shall be stipulated by a Cabinet Order.
Necessary matters concerning the details of the organization of the Agency shall be laid down by the Director.
(Council for allocation of paper for newspapers and Publications)
Article 5. The Council for the Allocation of Paper for Newspapers and Publications (hereinafter to be called the Council) shall be set up in the Agency.
The Council shall consider on important matters concerning allocation of paper for newspapers and publications, including those enumerated in the items of Article 6.
Article 6. The Director of the Agency must refer the matters concerning the following items to the Council without exceptions, and shall give decisions in accordance with the resolutions of the Council:
1. Principles, standards and procedures concerning the allocation of paper for newspapers and publications;
2. Allocation of paper for individual newspapers and publications.
Article 7. The Council shall consist of the Newspaper Panel and the Publication Panel, each of which shall consist of eleven members.
Members of each Panel shall consist of five persons chosen from among the business field concerned, five persons chosen from among men of knowledge and experience and the Chief of the Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry that takes charge of paper affairs.
Article 8. At the time of election of the Members of the Council, the Chairman of the Council shall choose candidates taking advices from various circles concerned.
The Director of the Agency, when he has justifiable reasons to regard any candidate of the preceding paragraph as unsuitable, can ask its withdrawal to the Chairman, but he must not do so more than twice for each post.
The Chairman of the Council, when asked for withdrawal of any candidate, shall choose a new candidate.
Each Panel shall elect its Members out of acceptable candidates by majority votes.
Article 9. Besides the stipulations of the preceding two Articles, matters concerning the organization and operation of the Council, election of Chairmen, term of office, procedures of choice and election, appointment and dismissal of Members, and matters necessary in relation with the present Committee for the Allocation of Paper for Newspapers and Publications at the time of the establishment of the Council shall be stipulated by a Cabinet Order.
(Principles and standards of allocation)
Article 10. Allocation of paper for newspapers and pubications should be equitable and fair.
Principles concerning allocation of paper for newspapers and publications should be so laid down that they raise moral and cultural standard of Japan and contribute to create a democratic society.
Standards concerning allocation of paper for newspapers and publications should be laid down as objectively as possible, taking into consideration such criteria as cultural value, social usefulness, public demands, etc.
Supplementary Provisions:
1. This Law shall come into force as from the day of its promulgation.
2. Regulations governing the Organization of Temporary Establishment of the Office for Allocation of Paper for Newspapers and Publications (Imperial Ordinance No.566, 1946) shall be abolished.
3. In order to give the Diet a chance to review the necessity to continue allocation of paper and the worthiness of the present allocation system, the Government shall take steps to get the approval by resolution of the Diet at each of its ordinary sessions as to the continuance of the present Law without any revision.
4. In the case of the preceding paragraph, the pretsen Law shall continue to be in force without revi sion if the Diet resolves to that effect. If the Diet resolves to revise or abolish the present Law, the Government must take necessary measures.