The Local Administration Investigation Committee Establishment Law

(Purpose of this Law) Article 1. The purpose of this Law is to define clearly the scope of responsibilities, the power and the organization of the Local Administration Investigation Committee.

(Establishment) Article 2. The Local Administration Investigation Committee (hereinafter to be referred to as the "Committee" ) shall be established temporarily as an organ of the Prime Minister's Office under the provisions of Article 8 paragraph 1 of the National Government Organization Law (Law No.120 of 1948).

(Scope of Responsibilities and the Power) Article 3. For the purpose of strengthening local autonomy and furthering democratization of government, the Committee shall conduct investigation and planning, and recommend the result thereof to the Cabinet and the Diet through the Cabinet, in connection with the program for such matters as adjustment of the distribution of affairs among the municipal-town-village and To-Do-Fu-prefectural and national levels of government in accordance with the principle of local autonomy. 2 The program mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall be one related to the following affairs: (1) Adjustment of the distribution of affairs among the municipal-town-village and To-Do-Fu-prefectural and national levels of government; (2) Adjustment of affairs delegated to the organs of the local public bodies; (3) Revision of the systems relating to national treasury subsidies, etc. corresponding to the adjustments mentioned under the preceding two items; (4) Besides those enumerated under the preceding three items, necessary matters following the adjustment of the distribution of affairs among the municipal-town-village and To-Do-Fu-prefectural and national levels of government.

(Submission of Bills) Article 4. With regard to such matters as submission to the Diet of bills relating to the program mentioned in the preceding Article, the Cabinet must respect the recommendation of the Committee.

(Organization) Article 5. The Committee shall be composed of five members appointed by the Prime Minister with the consent of both Houses of the Diet. 2 The members mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall include the following persons: (1) One person recommended by the representative of the national association of the governors of To, Do, Fu and prefectures; (2) One person recommended by the representative of the national association of the mayors of cities; (3) One person recommended by the representative of the national association of the headmen of towns and villages.

(Chairman) Article 6. The Committee shall have a chairman. 2 The chairman Shall be elected by mutual vote from among the members of the Committee. In case the chairman is prevented from performing his duties, a member who has been nominated by the chairman in advance shall perform his duties in his behalf. 3 The chairman shall preside over the affairs of and represent the Committee.

(Proceedings of the Committee) Article 7. The Committee cannot be in session unless four or more members are present. 2 All proceedings shall be decided by a majority of the members present, and in case of a tie the chairman shall decide the issue. 3 Besides those enumerated in the preceding two paragraphs, necessary matters relating to proceedings of the Committee shall be determined by the Committee.

(Presence of Witnesses, etc) Article 8. The Committee may, whenever necessary for the investigation and planning of the program mentioned in Article 3, demand the presence and the opinion of witnesses or request the administrative organs, the local public bodies concerned, etc. to gubmit records. 2 The Witnesses whose presence has been demanded in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph shall receive travelling expenses and perdiem allowance to be fixed by the Prime Minister through consultation with the Minister of Finance.

(Expert Investigators) Article 9. The Committee shall have expert investigators, not more than twenty in number, to be charged with investigation of special matters. 2 The expert investigators shall be appointed by the Prime Minister from among the persons of learning and experience upon recommendation by the Committee. 3 The expert investigators may be of part time service.

(Executive Office) Article 10. The Committee shall have an executive office to be charged with administration of affairs of the Committee. 2 The executive office shall have the chief of executive office. 3 The organization of the, executive office shall be determined by the chairman.

(Liaison with the Administrative Organs Concerned or the Local Public Bodies) Article 11. The Committee may demand the heads of the administrative organs or the local public bodies concerned to designate, from among their personnel, persons who shall be charged with liaison between the Committee and the administrative organs or the local public bodies concerned. 2 The persons designated in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph shall be charged with liaison between the Committee and the administrative organs or the local public bodies concerned, such as submission of reference materials, in regard to the affairs under the jurisdiction of the respective administrative organs or the local public bodies.

Supplementary Provisions: 1. This Law shall come into force as from the day of its promulgation. 2. The Prime Minister's Office Establishment Law (Law No.127 of 1949) shall be partially amended as follows: In Article 10, "Article 16" shall be amended as "Article 15" . The following one Article shall be added next to Article 16:

Article 16-(2). The Local Administration Investigation Committee is temporarily established as an organ of the Prime Minister's Office. 2 The Local Administration Investigation Committee is the organ to conduct, for the purpose of strengthening local autonomy and furthering democratization of government, investigation and planning, and recommend the result thereof to the Cabinet and the Diet through the Cabinet, in connection with the program for such matters as adjustment of the distribution of affairs among the municipal-town-village and To-Do-Fu-prefectural and national levels of government in accordance with the principle of local autonomy. 3 The organization and responsibilities of the Local Administration Investigation Committee shall be as provided for by the Local Administration Investigation Committee Establishment Law (Law No.281 of 1949).

3. The Law concerning Compensation for National Public Service Personnel in the Special Government Service (Law No.252 of 1949) shall be partially amended as follows: The following one item shall be added next to Article 1 item (11): 11-(2). Chairman and Members of the Local Administration Investigation Committee. In Annexed Table "Secretary General of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors" shall be amended as "Secretary General of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors Chairman of the Local Administration Investigation Committee" and "Members of the National Election Administration Commission" "Members of the National Election Administration Commission Members of the Local Administration Investigation Committee". 4. The Law for the Fixed Number of Personnel in the Administrative Organs (Law No.126 of 1949) shall be partially amended as follows: In Table of Article 2 paragraph 1, in item of Prime Minister's Office "Office Proper 2,254" shall be amended as "Office Proper 2,260" , "Total 58,127" as "Total 58,133" , and in item of Grand Total "873, -231" as "873,237" .