Article 1.　The purpose of this Law is to aid the rehabilitation of disabled persons, give relief necessary for their rehabilitation and seek for the welfare of disabled persons.

Article 2.　Every disabled person shall make positive endeavours to overcome his disabilities and to participate in social and economic activities as quickly as possible.

Article 3.　The State, local public bodies and people shall not give unfavorable and discriminative treatment to disabled persons because of their disabilities.

Article 13.　The State and local public bodies shall make efforts to raise public concern on prevention against occurrence of disability from sickness or accidents and early care, etc. of disabled persons and to guide and enlighten the people extensively for diffusion of the thought of relief for disabled persons.

Article 14.　The Minister of Welfare shall, concerning the conditions of disabled persons, carry out investigation for himself or request investigation reports from governors of To, Do, Fu or prefecture and other related administrative organizations, and shall make efforts to carry out welfare measures for disabled persons thoroughly according to the results of such research and investigation.

Article 15.　Every person who has disability in his body may apply to the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture for the issue of Disabled Person's Handbook along with a diagnosis of the physician designated by the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture.

2　When the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture designates the physician in accordance with the provision of the preceding paragraph, he shall follow the direction of the Minister of Welfare, and shall hear the opinion of the Local Council for Welfare of Disabled Persons on the same designation.

3　In case the physician provided for in paragraph 1 delivers the diagnosis to the physically disabled person, be must attach his opinion in writing whether the disability of the person concerned comes under the disability as enumerated in the attached list.

4　Each governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture shall examine according to the application under paragraph 1, and when he recognizes that the applicant comes under the former part of the provision of Article 4, he shall issue Disabled Person's Handbook.

5　In case the applicant as the result of the examination was recognized that he did not come under the former provision of Article 4, the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture must notify thereof to the applicant attaching the reason thereto.

6　Any disabled person shall not give or hand his Disabled Person's Handbook to other person.

7　In addition to the particulars provided in each of the preceding paragraphs, matters necessary for the Disabled Person's Handbook shall be stipulated by the Ministerial Ordinance hearing the opinion of the Central Council for Welfare of Disabled Persons.

Article 16.　When any disabled person has recovered from the disability as enumerated in the attached list or has died, the person himself, any of his relatives or any one connected with him living in his house shall return his Disabled Person's Handbook quickly to the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture.

2　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture may direct disabled persons to return Disabled Person's Handbooks in the following cases:

3　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture shall, in case of the dispositions mentioned in the preceding paragraph, render the reasons therefor, putting them in writing.

Article 17.　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture must, in case he wants to order the return of the Disabled Person's Handbook in accordance with the provision of paragraph 2 of the preceding Article, give the hearing asking for the attendance of the person concerned or the proxy.

2　In giving the hearing mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture must make notice to the disabled person concerned of the reason why he orders the return thereof as well as the date and location of the hearing by the time ten days in advance of the date.

3　At the hearing, the disabled person or the proxy may make explanation for himself or for the principal and produce the evidence.

4　In case the disabled person or the proxy does not comply with the request of hearing without proper reason, the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture may order the return of the Disabled Person's Handbook without giving the hearing.

Article 18.　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture shall execute examination of and consultation for rehabilitation with the disabled persons and take the following measure when needed:

2　In executing the abovementioned consultation for rehabilitation, the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture shall, in case of need, have to make a welfare official for disabled persons or other official who is engaged in work for the welfare of disabled persons visit the dwelling place, or public or private hospital or sanatorium, etc., where the disabled person lives or is taken in to offer consultation service or guidance.

3　A medical care and health facility or public employment security office shall, when reference is made to a disabled person by the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture in accordance with paragraph 1 item (1) or (2), co-operate for his rehabilitation.

Article 19.　The State, or the city, town or village where the rehabilitation relief facilities for disabled persons are established according to the provisions of Article 27 paragraph 3, shall, in case application is made by disabled persons or reference is made to them by the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture according to paragraph 2 of the preceding Article, have to take them into, or let them utilize, the facilities concerned established by them respectivelv. However, in case of unavoidable circumstances, such as receiving capacity of facilities or other reasons, this shall not apply.

Article 20.　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture may, in case there is application is made by disabled persons, issue for them a blindman's safety cane, or issue or repair for them such prosthetic appliances as hearing aid, artificial limbs and wheelchair, etc.

2　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture, may in case of need, grant money necessary to buy or repair prosthetic appliances stipulated in the preceding paragraph instead of the issue or repair of such articles.

Article 21.　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture may, in case he provides or repairs safety cane or prosthetic appliances according to the provisions of paragraph 1 of the preceding Article, collect, according to the solvency, all or a part of such expenses from the disabled person for whom such issue or repair is made, or from his legal supporter.

2　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture may, in case money needed to buy or repair a prosthetic appliance is to be granted according to the provisions of paragraph 2 of the preceding Article, grant lesser amount of money in proportion to the financial ability of the disabled person who is receiving such a grant or of his legal supporter.

Article 22.　The manager of government or public office and other public facilities established by the State or the local public body shall, in case application is made by a disabled person, make efforts to give the permission of establishing vending-stands for the purpose of selling newspapers, books, tobacco, business articles, foodstuff, and other articles in the said public facilities.

2　In case the establishment of vending-stands by disabled persons is permitted in public facilities according to the provision of the preceding paragraph, the manager of the said facilities may decide regulations concerning the administration of the said vending-stand and supervise it.

3　The disabled persons who have been permitted to establish the vending-stand in accordance with paragraph 1 shall in person be engaged in the business unless they are ill or have the proper reasons.

Article 23.　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture shall, in order to keep smooth establishment and management of vending-stands provided for in the preceding Article, consult with the manager of public facilities in the area of his jurisdiction, and at the same time, take such measures as to investigate and let the disabled person know the place where it is possible to establish vending-stands in the public facilities and the kind of articles to be sold, etc.

Article 24.　The Japanese Monopoly Corporation shall, when a disabled person applies for designation as retail seller of tobacco, according to the Tobacco Monopoly Law (Law No.111 of 1949) and the case does not come under the provisions in any item of Article 31 paragraph 1 of the same Law, make efforts to designate the said disabled person as a retail seller of tobacco.

2　The provisions of Article 22 paragraph 3 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the disabled person who has been designated as a retail seller in accordance with the provision of the preceding paragraph.

Article 25.　Any public benefiting juridical person designated by the Minister of Welfare which aims at relief of the blind and other persons of physical handicap for whom categories shall be stipulated by the Cabinet Order, may request the administrative organs of the State or the local public bodies to purchase brooms, dusters, dust-clothes and other articles stipulated by the Cabinet Order and manufactured by the disabled persons under its care.

2　The administrative organ of the State or the local public body, when requested to purchase the said articles under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, and if purchase can be made at an adequate price and within a period of time specified by it, shall comply with such a request to the extent it can use such articles for its own use. However, the administrative organ of the State or the local public body, when the purchase of such articles from the public benefiting juridical persons described in the preceding paragraph does not meet the full need, may purchase such articles from parties other than such public benefiting juridical persons.

3　The administrative organ of the State in purchasing the said articles under the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs may purchase them through the third public benefiting juridical persons that are designated by the Minister of Welfare in order to facilitate the public benefiting juridical persons in taking up orders and in delivering goods, etc.

4　The opinions of the Central Council for Welfare of Disabled Person shall be heard in order to stipulate the Cabinet Order prescribed in paragraph 1.

Article 26.　There shall be established the Council for Purchasing the Products made by Disabled Persons (hereinafter in this article referred to as the "Council" ) under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister, to investigate and deliberate on the effective management of the business stipulated in the preceding Article.

2　The Council shall report the results of the investigation and deliberation to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Welfare.

3　The Council may, when it deems it necessary, advise the administrative organs of the State or the local public bodies about the management of the business stipulated in the preceding Article.

4　In addition to the particulars provided for in the preceding three paragraphs, organization of the Council and other matters necessary for the management of the Council shall be stipulated by the Cabinet Order.

Article 27.　The State must establish rehabilitation relief facilities for the disabled persons.

2　The To, Do, Fu or prefecture may, upon approval of the Minister of Welfare, establish rehabilitation relief facilities for the disabled persons.

3　The city, town, village may, upon approval of governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture establish rehabilitation relief facilities for disabled persons.

4　A training institution of the personnel who will engage in the rehabilitation relief work (hereinafter referred to training facilities) may be attached to rehabilitation relief facilities for disabled persons. However, in case the prefecture or city, town, village wants to attach the same facilities thereto, the approval of the Minister of Welfare or governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture shall be necessary.

5　The Minister of Welfare or governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture must, in case the facilities concerned satisfies the standard in accordance with the provision of Article 28, grant the approval.

Article 28.　The Minister of Welfare must, hearing the opinion of the Central Council for Welfare of Disabled Persons, determine the standard concerning the equipment and management of the rehabilitation relief facilities for disabled persons as well as its training facilities.

Article 29.　A rehabilitation guidance facility shall be a facility which gives advice to disabled persons, guides them on means of social rehabilitation on the basis of medical, psychological and vocational judgment, takes in those disabled persons as occasion demands, and performs their training for their rehabilitation under medical control.

Article 30.　A rehabilitation facility for the blind shall be a facility which takes in the blind, gives them knowledge, ability and training necessary for their rehabilitation.

Article 31.　An accommodating and work-providing facility for disabled persons shall mean a facility which accommodates persons who are not easily to be employed or unable to make living, give them necessary training, occupation and make them seek for their livelihood.

Article 32.　An artificial limb and implement manufactrring facility shall mean a facility which manufactures or repairs artificial limbs, working artificial limbs, supplementary tools and other articles necessary for disabled persons.

Article 33.　A Braille Print Library shall mean a facility which exhibits Braille print publications according to the demand of the blind.

Article 34.　A Braille print book publishing facility shall mean a facility which publishes Braille print publications.

Article 35.　Among the expenses necessary for matters provided for in this Law concerning the Rehabilitation Relief of Disabled Persons, such expenses mentioned as follows shall be defrayed by To, Do, Fu or prefectures:

Article 36.　The State shall bear the following portions from the expenses defrayed by To, Do, Fu or prefecture according to the preceding Article:

Article 37.　Expenses necessary for establishment and management of facility and training institution established by city, town or village according to the provision of Article 27 paragraphs 3 and 4 shall be defrayed by the city, town or village concerned.

2　For the expenses borne by the city, town or village under the provision of preceding paragraph, each To, Do, Fu or prefecture shall bear three-fourths of expenses necessary for establishment and nine-tenths of other expenses for management of those facilities.

3　For the expenses shared by To, Do, Fu or prefecture under the provision of the preceding paragraph, the State shall bear two-thirds of expenses for establishment, and eight-ninths of other expenses for management of those facilities.

Article 38.　As for the rehabilitation relief facilities for disabled persons established by one other than State or local public bodies aiming at the business stipulated in Article 29, Article 30 or Article 31, the establisher shall have to notify the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture in which the said facilities stand under procedure provided by order.

Article 39.　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture may, in order to plan proper management of rehabilitation relief facilities for disabled persons or the facilities stipulated in the preceding Article, make the heads of such facilities submit necessary reports or make officials who are engaged in welfare works for disabled persons supervise such facilities.

Article 40.　In case the equipment or the management of the facilities for rehabilitation relief of disabled persons or the training facilities is not recognized as satisfying the standard prescribed in Article 28 or is recognized as violating the law and regulation, the Minister of Welfare may cancel under the provision of Article 27 the approval for those established by the To, Do, Fu or prefecture and the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture may cancel the approval for those established by the city, town, village respectively after hearing the opinion of the council of the disabled person's welfare.

2　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture may, with respect to the facilities prescribed in Article 38, in case he recognizes the equipment markedly incomplete or the management impairing the welfare of the disabled person or violates the law and regulation, direct to stop the work or abolish the facilities after hearing the opinion of Local Councils for Welfare of Disabled Persons.

3　The Minister of Welfare or the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture shall, in case of the dispositions provided for in the two preceding paragraphs, give the reasons therefor, putting them in writing.

Article 41.　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture must, in case he wants to effect the disposition in accordance with the provision of paragraph 2 of the preceding Article, give the hearing asking for the attendance of the founder or the operator of the facilities concerned.

2　With respect to the hearing of the preceding paragraph, reason of the disposition as well as the date and location of the hearing shall be notified to the founder of the facilities concerned by the time ten days in advance of the date.

3　At the hearing, the founder or the operator of the facilities concerned may explain for himself and produce the evidence.

4　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture may, in case the founder or the operator does not comply with the request of hearing, effect the disposition in accordance with the provision of paragraph 2 of the preceding Article.

Article 42.　Those who have complaints about the disposals taken by the Minister of Welfare or the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture under the provisions of this Law or orders issued under this Law may appeal under the provision of the Appeal Law (Law No.105 of 1890), within sixty days from the day of disposition, to the Ministry of Welfare with respect to the disposition of the Minister of Welfare, and to the Minister of Welfare with respect to the disposition of the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture respectively.

Article 43.　Every To, Do, Fu or prefecture, city, town, village and other public body shall not levy taxes and other public imposts on buildings and real estate mentioned in the following items. However, those which are allowed to use at some charges shall be excepted:

Article 44.　Every tax and other public impost shall not be levied upon the basis of money and articles supplied according to this Law.

Article 45.　Any money and article already supplied or to be supplied in future according to this Law shall not be attached.

Article 46.　Any peson falling under one of the following items shall be liable to a fine not exceeding 3,000 yen:

Article 47.　Any person falling under one of the following items shall be liable to a penal servitude not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding 10,000 yen:

Article 48.　Any person who violates the order of the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture according to the provision of Article 16 paragraph 2 shall be liable to a penal servitude not exceeding three months or a fine not exceeding 5,000 yen.