Article 1.　The purpose of this Law is to extend postal services to remote areas and to make such services readily and economically accessible to all the people under the authorization of the Minister of Postal Services by entrusting the business to be conducted at the window of post office (hereinafter referred to as the "postal window business" ) to local public bodies and other non-profit organizations as provided for in this Law.

Article 2.　In cases where there is need to offer any service relating to the postal window business, the Minister of Postal Services may entrust by contract such service to the organizations listed in paragraph 1 of the next Article, in accordance with the provisions of this Law, provided that the volume of the business is deemed so remarkably small that he considers it economical to entrust the said service to those organizations and finds no obstruction in the operation thereof.

Article 3.　Persons who are entrusted (hereinafter referred to as the "trustee" ) by the Minister of Postal Services with postal window business shall be limited to those listed below:

2　Local public bodies may conduct the postal window business entrusted by the Minister of Postal Services (hereinafter referred to as the "entrusted business" ) in accordance with the provisions of this Law, regardless of the provisions of Article 2 paragraphs 2 and 4, Article 264 paragraphs 1 and 2, Article 281 paragraphs 2 and 3 and Article 292 of the Local Autonomy Law (Law No.67 of 1947).

3　Associations listed in items (2) to (4) inclusive (hereinafter referred to as "associations" only) may conduct the entrusted business in accordance with the provisions of this Law, regarless of the provisions of laws concerning associations concerned.

Article 4.　The Minister of Postal Services may conclude at his discretion a contract for conducting the postal window business (hereinafter referred to as the "trust contract" ) at the place designated by the Minister of Postal Services with persons prescribed in paragraph 1 of the preceding Article.

2　In cases where the Minister of Postal Services concludes a contract in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, and when both local public bodies and associations wish to comply with the conclusion of the contract on its conditions, the Minister of Postal Services shall give first priority to local public bodies.

Article 5.　The period of trust contract shall be three years; however, it may be renewed by the mutual consent of parties concerned.

Article 6.　The business to be entrusted by trust contract shall be prescribed by the Ministerial Ordinance within the scope of postal window business relating to the mail, postal savings, postal money order, post office life insurance and annuities.

Article 7.　The trustee shall establish the facilities for conducting the entrusted business (hereinafter referred to as the "postal agency" ) at the place designated by the Minister of Postal Services.

Article 8.　The hours of attendance and the nonbusiness days shall be prescribed by the Ministerial Ordinance so as to conform to the convenience of the public.

Article 9.　The trustee may receive and disburse, or keep in custody, the cash of the State relating to the entrusted business in accordance with procedures fixed by the Minister of Postal Services.

Article 10.　The handling of the entrusted business at a postal agency shall be regarded as the handling by the organs of the Ministry of Postal Services, with regard to the application of the provisions of the Mail Law (Law No.165 of 1947)(excluding Article 20), Postal Savings Law (Law No.144 of 1947), Postal Money Order Law (Law No.59 of 1948), Post Office Life Insurance Law (Law No.68 of 1949) and Post Office Annuities Law (Law No.69 of 1949).

Article 11.　Officers and personnel of the organizations prescribed in Article 3 paragraph 1 who engage in the entrusted business, shall be regarded as those who are engaged in the public service under laws and orders.

2　The provisions of the National Public Service Law (Law No.120 of 1947) shall not apply to those prescribed in the preceding paragraph.

Article 12.　The trustee shall conduct for himself the entrusted business faithfully for the benefit of the public.

2　In cases where the trustee is an association, the association shall impartially offer service to any person other than the members of the association, regardless of the provisions of the Law governing the association.

Article 13.　Except in cases otherwise provided for in this Law, the trustee shall furnish all the facilities any pay the expenses necessary for conducting the entrusted business.

Article 14.　The trustee shall, with regard to the application of the provisions of Articles 5, 7 and 11 of the Law concerning Sale Agencies of Postage Stamps, etc. and Sale Agencies of Stamps (Law No.91 of 1949), be regarded as the sale agent of postage stamps, etc. and stamps prescribed in Article 2 paragraph 1 of the same Law.

Article 15.　The Minister of Postal Services shall pay to the trustee the commission for the handling of the entrusted business (excluding the business of the sale of postage stamps, etc. and stamps).

2　The commission prescribed in the preceding paragraph shall be fixed per month according to the volume of entrusted business prescribed in the same paragraph.

3　The amount of the commission per month shall not exceed 20,000 yen including the commission for the sale of postage stamps, etc. and stamps.

Article 16.　The Minister of Postal Services may allow the trustee to use free of charge the business articles of the State in cases where he considers it necessary for the proper and smooth conduct of the entrusted business.

Article 17.　The trustee may send free of charge, the mail matter relating to the entrusted business in accordance with the provisions of Ministerial Ordinances within the scope prescribed in Article 20 of the Mail Law.

Article 18.　The trustee shall receive and disburse, or keep in custody, the cash prescribed in Article 9 and the business articles prescribed in Article 16, separating them from other cash and articles.

Article 19.　The trustee shall, with regard to the entrusted business, be subject to the supervision of the Minister of Postal Services in accordance with the trust contract.

2　The supervision to be conducted by the Minister of Postal Services in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph shall be performed primarily by the postmaster of the post office conducting the collection and delivery service of mails at the area where the postal agency concerned is located and by the postal inspectors belonging to the Local Postal Inspection Bureau in charge of the relative area.