Chapter I General Provisions

(Purpose of this Law) Article 1. The purpose of this Law is to define clearly the scope of responsibilities and the powers of the Prime Minister's Office and to provide an organization fit for the efficient conduct of the administrative affairs under the jurisdiction of the Office.

(Establishment) Article 2. A Prime Minister's Office shall be established under the provisions of Article 3 paragraph 2 of the National Government Organization Law (Law No.120 of 1948). 2 The Prime Minister's Office shall be headed by the Prime Minister.

(Mission of Prime Minister's Office) Article 3. The Prime Minister's Office shall be the administrative organ responsible for the integrated administration of the following administrative affairs of the National Government: (1) Pensions, statistics and honors as well as allocation of paper for newspapers and publications; (2) Consolidation and coordination of the policies and affairs of all administrative organs; (3) Such administrative affairs as are not placed under the charge of other administrative organs as well as other administrative affairs placed under the Prime Minister's Office by treaties and laws (including orders issued under laws).

(Powers of Prime Minister's Office) Article 4. For the purpose of carrying out the responsibilities provided for in this Law, the Prime Minister's Office shall have the powers as listed below Such powers shall, however, be exercised in accordance with laws (including orders issued under laws): (1) To do, within the limits of budgetary appropriations, acts to incur disbursements necessary for carrying out its responsibilities; (2) To collect revenues and make payments necessary for carrying out its responsibilities; (3) To establish and maintain offices and other facilities directly required for carrying out its responsibilities; (4) To procure materials for use in business, office supplies and research materials directly required for carrying out its resposibilities; (5) To dispose of unnecssary property; (6) To administer personnel affairs including appointment, dismissal, awards and discipline; (7) To establish and maintain facilities required for the welfare and bealth of personnel; (8) To establish and maintain houses to be rented to personnel; (9) To distribute or publish statistics and research date concerning affairs under its jurisdiction; (10) To inspect the affairs under its jurisdiction and to take such measures as may be required in accordance with the provisions of laws or orders; (11) To disseminate information to the public concerning the affairs under its jurisdiction; (12) To adopt the official seals of the Prime Minister's Office; (13) To direct and supervise the compilation and printing of the Official Gazette and the Compendium of Laws and Orders as well as to the printing of confidential documents under the charge of the Cabinet; (14) To confer honors; (15) To conduct investigation relating to conforment and deprivation of honors; (16) To decide upon entitlement to pensions and upon representation relating to pensions; (17) To carry out statistical investigations of various kinds; (18) To allocate paper for newspapers and publications; (19) To conduct, in addition to those enumerated in the preceding items, such affairs as are not placed under other administrative organs as well as other administrative affairs placed under the Prime Minister's Office in accordance with treaties, laws or orders.

Chapter II Office Proper

Section 1 Internal Subdivisions

(Internal Subdivisions) Article 5. The Office proper shall have the Minister's Secretariat and the following three bureaus: Pensions Bureau Statistics Bureau Bureau for Allocation of Paper for Newspapers and Publications 2 The Minister's Secretarist shall have the Decorations Division, and the Statistics Bureau shall have the following three divisions: Population Division Economics Division Tabulation Division

(Functions of Minister's Secretariat) Article 6. The Minister's Secretariat shall, in connection with the administration under the charge of the Prime Minister's Office, take charge of the following affairs: (1) Confidential matters; (2) Classification, appointment and dismissal of personnel, their status, disciplinary punishment, performance of duty and other personnel affairs;also, their refinement and training; (3) Adoption and custody of the official seals of the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister's Office; (4) Drafting, receipt, dispatch, compilation and custody of official documents; (5) Direction and supervision over the compilation and printing of the Official Gazette and Compendium of Laws and Orders as well as the printing of confidential documents under the charge of the Cabinet; (6) Custody of the books under the charge of the Minister's Secretariat; (7) Budget estimates for expenditures and revenues, settlement of accounts, accounts and account audits; (8) Management of administrative properties and articles; (9) Health, medical treatment and other welfare measures for personnel; (10) Administrative inspections; (11) Dissemination of information; (12) Examination of draft bills and orders; (13) Coordination and adjustment of policies and business of each administrative organ; (14) Research, planning and drafting regarding such business as are not placed under the charge of other administrative organs; (15) Enforcement of the Imperial Ordinance relating to the Exclusion, Retirement, etc.(Imperial Ordinance No.1 of 1947) and the Imperial Ordinance concerning the Exclusion from the Candidature for Mayor of City, Headman of Town or Village and Others (Imperial Ordinance No.3 of 1917) as well as the control thereof; (16) Affairs under the charge of the Prime Minister in accordance with the Law for Termination of Zaibatsu Family Control (Law No.2 of 1948); (17) Affairs in general relating to investigation and statistics (excluding those placed under the charge of the Statistics Bureau); (18) Investigation, research and planning relating to honors system; (19) Grade of merit and decoration; (20) Medal, merit-medal ane other reward; (21) Permission for receiving and wearing decoration or medal of foreign country; (22) In addition to the affairs enumerated in the preceding paragraphs, such responsibilities of the Prime Minister's Office as are not under the charge of other bureaus and organs. 2 In addition to those enumerated in the preceding paragraph, the Minister's Secretariat shall conduct the affairs under the charge of the Cabinet Secretariat provided for in Article 12 of the Cabinet Law (Law No.5 of 1947). 3 The Decorations Division of the Minister's Secretariat shall take charge of the affairs prescribed in paragraph 1 item (18) to item (21) inclusive.

(Functions of Pensions Bureau) Article 7. The Pensions Bureau shall take charge of the following affairs: (1) Investigation, research and planning relating to pensions syetem; (2) Decision upon the entilement to pensions; (3) Decision upon the representation relative to pensions; (4) Payment and charge of pensions.

(Functions of Statistics Bureau) Article 8. The Statistics Bureau shall take charge of the following affairs: (1) Execution of census and other basic statistical investigations of the country and tabulation thereof; (2) Execution and tabulation of statistical investigation of various kinds upon request of national administrative organs and local public entities; (3) Training of statisticians; (4) Inquiries into statistical tcchiniques; (5) Collection, arrangement, compilation and publication of statistical books and data. 2 With regard to the affairs in the preceding paragraph, the execution of census and other statistical investigations relating to population, the execution of statistical investigation relating to economics and the tabulation of statistical investigations of various kinds shall be placed under the charge of the Population Division, the Economic Division and the Tabulation Division respectively.

(Functions of Bureau for Allocation of Paper for Newspapers and Publications) Article 9. The Bureau for Allocation of Paper for Newspapers and Publications shall take charge of the affairs relative to allocation of paper for newspapers and publications as is provided for by the Law for the Establishment of the Agency for the Affairs of Allocation of Paper for Newspapers and Publications (Law No.211 of 1948).

Section 2 Auxiliary Organs

(Auxiliary Organs) Article 10. In addition to those provided for in Article 16, the Office proper shall have the following auxiliary organs: Prisoners of War Information Bureau Training Institute of the Statisticians Office of New Pay Administration National Public Opinion Research Institute

(Functions of Prisoners of War Information Bureau). Article 11. The prisoners of War Information Bureau shall be the organ which deals with the affairs concerning investigation and notification of the conditions of the prisoners of war, preparation and amendment of individual returns, investigation of the disposal of monetary effects, custody and investigation of monetary effects found on the battlefields, delivery of said effects to relatives, matters of which the administrative agency concerned has been informed about the war dead of the allied countries and investigation of the conditions of those who were taken prisoners by allied countries. 2 The Prisoners of War Information Bureau shall be established in Tokyo-To. 3 The internal organization of the Prisoners of War Information Bureau shall be provided for by a Prime Minister's Office Ordinance.

(Training Institute of Statisticians) Article 12. The Training Institute of the Statisticians shall be the organ which gives personnel of the national administrative organs and local public entities such official training as is required by the staff personnel to be engaged in statistical service. 2 The Training Institute of the Statisticians shall be established in Tokyo-To. 3 The internal ganization of the Training Institute of the Statisticians shall be provided for by a Prime Minister's Office Ordinance.

(Office of New Pay Administration) Article 13. The Office of New Pay Administration shall be the organ to be established in order to fulfil the purpose of the Law Administering the New Pay (Law No.46 of 1948) securing the complete enforcement thereof. 2 The internal subdivision of the Office of New Pay Administration shall be provided for by a Prime Minister's Office Ordinance, unless otherwise provided for by the Law Administering the New Pay.

(National Public Opinion Research Institute) Article 14. The National Public Opinion Research Institute shall be the organ which makes investigation of public opinions in an autonomous and fair way for the purpose of contributing to establishment of policies and operation of administration based upon public opinion. 2 The National Public Opinion Research Institute shall be established in Tokyo-To. 3 The functions and organization of the National Public Opinion Research Institute shall be provided for by the National Public Opinion Research Institute Establishment Law (Law No.128 of 1949).

(Other Auxiliary Organs) Article 15. The organs entered in the left column of the following table shall be those established as auxiliary organs of the Prime Minister's Office, the purpose of their establishment being given in the right column: Name Purpose Pensions Examination Committe To examine affairs concerning pensions in accordance with the provisions of Pensions Law (Law No.48 of 1923). Traffic Enterprise Adjustment Council To study and deliberate, in response to the inquiries of the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Construction, upon the matters provided for in Article 2 paragraph 1, Article 3 paragraph 3, Article 5 and Article 12 of the Land Traffic Enterprise Adjustment Law (Law No.71 of 1948). Educational Reform Council To study and deliberate upon important matters concerning education. Local System Research Council To study and deliberate, in response to the inquiries of the Prime Minister, upon matters concerning local administration. Central Disaster Relief Planning Committee To conduct the appropriate enforcement of disaster relief and other emergency measures based on the Disaster Relief Law (Law No.118 of 1947). Regional Disaster Relief Planning Committee Prefectural Disaster Relief Planning Committee Tourist Industry Council To Study and deliberate upon fundamental plans and other important particulars concerning tourist industry. Council on Measures for Repatriates To study and deliberate upon matters concerning promotion of repatriation and other matters concerning measures for repatriates in accordance with the Law for Establishment of the Deliberative Commission on Measures for Repatriates (Law No.212 of 1948). Local Tax Committee To conduct examination regarding local taxes in accordance with the Local Tax Law (Law No.110 of 1948). Public Procurators Qualifications Examination Committee To conduct examination regarding the matters provided for in Article 23 paragraph 1 of the Public Procurator's Office Law (Law No.61 of 1947). Scientific and Technical Administration Committee To deliberate, in close cooperation with the Science Council of Japan, upon various policies for permeating scientific technology into administration and upon measures necessary for coordination thereof among administrative organs in accordance with the Scientific and Technical Administration Commission Law (Law No.253 of 1948). Advisory Council on Social Security To study, deliberate, and make recommendations relative to social security, in accordance with the Law for Establishment of the Advisory Council on Social Security (Law No.266 of 1948). Housing Council To study and deliberate, in response to the inquiries of the Prime Minister, upon the establishment, maintenance and management and other important matters of housing for the public service personnel, in accordance with the Law concerning the Government Housing for the National Public Service personnel (Law No.117 of 1949). Election System Council To study and deliberate, in response to the inquiries of the Prime Minister, upon system relating to election of Diet members and election in local public entities. Committee for Allocation of Paper for Newspapers and Publications To deliberate upon important matters concerning allocation of paper for newspapers and publications in accordance with the Law for the Establishment of the Agency for the Affairs of Papers and Publications.

2 With regard to the organization, responsibilities and councillors and other personnel of the auxiliary organs mentioned in the preceding paragraph, they shall be provided for by Cabinet Order, unless otherwise provided for by law (including orders issued under laws) separately.

Section 3 Organ

(Organ) Article 16. The Science Council of Japan shall be placed under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister. 2 The Science Council of Japan shall be the organ which makes exertions to promote the development of science and permeate it into administration, industry and national life as the representative organ, internal and international, of the scientists of this country. 3 The Science Council of Japan shall be established in Tokyo-To. 4 With regard to the organization and responsibilities of the Science Couucil of Japan, the provisions of the Science Council of Japan Law (Law No.121 of 1948) shall be followed.

Chapter III External Organs

(External Organs) Article 17. The external organs to be established in the Prime Minister's Office under the provisions of Article 3 paragraph 2 of the National Government Organization Law shall be as follows: Statistics Commission Fair Trade Commission National Election Administration Commission National Public Safety Commission Public Office Qualifications Appeal Commission Foreign Exchange Control Commission Imperial Household Agency Special Procurement Agency Reparations Agency Administrative Management Agency Local Autonomy Agency

(Organization, Responsibilities and Powers of External Organs) Article 18. With regard to organization, responsibilities and powers of the external organs prescribed in the preceding Article, the provisions of the laws hereunder (including orders issued under laws) and Cabinet Order indicated in the right column of the table, shall be followed unless otherwise provided for by other laws: Statistics Commission Statistics Law (Law No.18 of 1947). Fair Trade Commission Law relating to Prohibition of Private Monopoly and Methods of Preserving Fair Trade (Law No.54 of 1917). National Election Administration Commission National Electoral Administration Commission Law (Law No.154 of 1947). National Public Safety Commission Police Law (Law No.196 of 1947). Public Office Qualifications Appeal Commission Cabinet Order concerning Special Remission for Persons Designated as Falling under the Memorandum (Cabinet Order No.39 of 1949 in accordance with Imperial Ordinance relating to the Exclusion, Retirement, Resignation, etc. in respect to Public Offices. Foreign Exchange Control Commission Foreign Exchange Control Commission Order (Cabinet Order No.53 of 1949). Imperial Household Agency Imperial Household Agency Law (Law No.70 of 1947). Special Procurement Agency Special Procurement Agency Establishment Law (Law No.129 of 1949). Reparations Agency Law for the Temporary Establishment of the Reparations Agency (Law No.3 of 1948). Administrative Management Agency Administrative Management Agency Establishment Law (Law No.77 of 1948). Local Autonomy Agency Local Autonomy Agency Establishment Law (Law No.131 of 1949).

Chapter IV Personnel

(Director of Cabinet Secretariat) Article 19. The Director of the Cabinet Secretariat shall, in addition to responsibilities prescribed in the Cabinet Law, assist the Prime Minister, participate in policies and planning relating to matters under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister's Office, arrange the affairs of the Office and supervise the affairs of all sections, bureaus, and organs.

(Deputy Director of Cabinet Secretariat) Article 20. The Deputy Director of the Cabinet Secretariat shall, in addition to responsibilities prescribed in the Cabinet Law, assist the performance of the duties of their superiors, according as is determined by the Prime Minister in respect of matters under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister's Office.

(Other Personnel) Article 21. With respect to the appointment, dismissal, promotion, disciplinary punishment and other matters concerning administration of personnel to be placed in the Prime Minister's Office other than those prescribed in the preceding two Articles, the provisions of the National Public Service Law shall apply.

(Fixed Number) Article 22. The fixed number of the personnel for the Prime Minister's Office shall be provided for by law separately.