(Object of this Law) Article 1. The object of this Law is to control restaurant business in a rational manner with a view to prevent black-market transactions in staple and other foods and to promote effective utilization thereof.

(Definition) Article 2. The term "restaurant business" as used in this Law means any business for equipping with facilities necessary for food-dispensing business and serving food and/or drinks to customers.

(Licensing of Restaurant Business) Article 3. A person desiring to conduct a restaurant business shall, in accordance with the procedures laid down by the competent Minister, obtain license issued by the prefectural governor for each of the following types of business. (1) Meal-coupon restaurant. Meal-coupon restaurant means business which serves meals in exchange for meal-coupons. (2) Noodle meal-coupon restaurant. Noodle meal-coupon restaurant means business which serves "udon," "soba," "hiyamugi," Chinese noodle, and other noodles in exchange for meal-coupons. (3) Hotel and inn. Hotel and inn mean business which provides guests with lodging for charges on daily or half daily basis and serves meals incidental to lodging in exchange for meal-coupons. (4) Light restaurant. Light restaurant means high-class restaurant, "Machiai," cafe, cabaret, and other business which serve dishes other than staple food as specified in Article 2 of the Food Control Law (Law No.40 of 1942) and items processed or cooked therefrom (hereinafter referred to as designated staple food) or alcoholic and other beverages. (5) Tea-room. Tea-room means business which serves only non-alcoholic beverages, fruits or cakes made from materials other than designated staple food. 2 The prefectural governor shall not, in the case of business requiring license in accordance with the provisions of the laws mentioned hereunder, give the license as provided for in the preceding paragraph unless the applicant is duly licensed under the same laws. (1) Article 21 of Food Sanitation Law (Law No.233 of 1947). (2) Article 2 of the Law regulating "Fuzoku" Business (Law No.122 of 1948). (3) Article 3 of the Hotel Business Law (Law No.138 of 1948). 3 The prefectural governor shall not, at the same place, grant licence for more than two types of restaurant business specified in Par.1, except under the extraordinary circumstances. 4 The prefectural governor shall not, in issuing the license mentioned in the provisions of Par.1, grant licence when he deems it detrimental to the rational consumption of food after investigation business facilities, site and estimated number of guests, etc.

(Display of Sign) Article 4. Any person licensed in accordance with the provisions of the preceding Article shall keep the license issued by the prefectural governor within the premises and shall display asign in the from as determined by the competent Minister in front of the premises or any other place easily visible from outside the premises.

(Prohibition of Custom Processing) Article 5. No one engaged in restaurant business shall engage in custom processing or cooking of food and/or drink, upon order of consumers.

(Restriction on Designated Staple Food) Article 6. No one engaged in restaurant business shall serve designated staple food except in cases where persons engaged in hotel and inn, meal-coupon restaurant and noodle meal-coupon restaurant business serve it in connection with their business in exchange for valid meal-coupons.

Article 7. No one engaged in hotel and inn, meal-coupon restaurant and noodle meal-coupon restaurant business shall serve food unless in exchange for meal-coupons.

(Restriction on Service of Food) Article 8. No one engaged in light restaurant business shall serve food unless in exchange for grocery coupons prescribed by the competent Minister.

(Observance of Official Prices) Article 9. A person engaged in restaurant business shall observe such official prices as may be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Price Control Ordinance (Imperial Ordinance No.18 of 1946) with regard to food and drink he serves.

(Obligation to Report) Article 10. A person engaged in restaurant business shall, in conformity with the provisions stipulated by the competent Mininister, report to the prefectural governor on the number of meal or grocery coupons exchanged in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 or Article 8 after verification by the head of city, town and village or other person designated by the competent Minister.

(Suspension of Business or Revocation of License) Article 11. When the prefectural governor discovered that a person engaged in restaurant business under license has violated the provisions of this Law or order to disposition issued under this Law or made fales statement or misrepresentation in an application for license or report under this Law or committed an unlawful act in connection with the acquisition of materials, and others, and deemed it inconsistent conspicuously with the purpose of Article 1, the governor may suspend his business or revoke his license. 2 When the number of meal or grocery coupons reported by a person engaged in restaurant business under the preceding Article has failed to reach the number fixed by the competent Minister over the period determined by the same Minister, the prefectural governor shall suspend his business or revoke his license except in cases where the prefectural governor finds unusual circumstances explaining the failure to acquire the prescribed number. 3 The prefectural governor shall, in disposing according to the preceding two paragraphs, ask for appearance of a person engaged in the said business or of his representative and conduct the open hearing. 4 The prefectural governor shall inform the person engaged in restaurant business within one week prior to the date of open hearing of the acts of violation deemed to be the causes for the dispositions mentioned in Par.1 or Par.2, the date and place of open hearing, and shall give the public notice of the date and place thereof.

(Penalties) Article 12. A parson who engages in the restaurant business without a license issued under Paragraph 1 of Article 3 shall be subjected to penal servitude not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding 300,000 yen.

Article 13. A person who has violated the provisions of Article 5 to 8 inclusive shall be subjected to a fine not exceeding 100,000 yen.

Article 14. A parson who has committed one of the offences mentioned hereunder shall be subjected to a fine not exceeding 500,000 yen: (1) Fales statement or misrepresentation in an application for license of prefectural governor under Paragraph 1 of Article 3. (2) Violation of the provisions of Article 4. (3) Failure to report or false statement or misrepresentation in a report under the provisions of Article 10.

Article 15. A person who has committee an offence as mentioned in Article 12 may be subjected to penal servitude as well as to a fine jointly in case the circumstances justify.

Article 16. When a representative of a juridical parson, agent, employee of or any other person engaged by a juridical or natural person has committed an offence as mentioned in Articles 12 to 14 inclusive in connection with the business of the said juridical or natural person, not only the offender shall be punished but also the juridical or natural person concerned shall be subjected to penalties as provided for in the said Articles.