CHAPTER I General Provisions

(Establishment) Article 1. For the purpose of business-type operation of the enterprise of the Mint Agency and sound development thereof, a Special Account shall be established and accounted for as separated from the General Account.

(Extent of Enterprise) Article 2. In this Law, "the enterprise of the Mint Agency" shall mean the manufacture of coins, medals, badges, stamp dies, alloys and metal industrial products, and the refining, distribution and testimony of quality of precious metals, and the examination of minerals, and the other works and affairs incidental thereto operated by the Mint Agency.

(Administration) Article 3. This Account shall be under administration of the Minister of Finance in accordance with laws and orders.

(Division of Accounting) Article 4. This Account shall be kept by being divided into the assets sub-account, the capital sub-account and the profit and loss sub-account, for the purpose of showing the increase, decrease and change in assets and capital and profit or loss of the enterprise of the Mint Agency. 2 The assets sub-account shall show the increase, decrease and change in the assets and the existing amount thereof. 3 The capital sub-account shall show the increase, decrease and change in capital and the existing amount thereof. 4 The profit and loss sub-account shall be divided into the profit sub-account and the loss subaccount and shall show the profit or loss of the enterprise.

(Method of Accounting) Article 5. The accounting of this Account shall be made in accordance with the accrual basis regardless of the fact of cash receipt or payment. 2 The time of accruing the increase, decrease and change of assets under the preceding paragraph and the standard for accounting regarding to which fiscal year the fact accrues shall be prescribed by a Cabinet Order.

(Cost-accounting) Article 6. In this Account, the necessary costaccounting regarding the enterprise of the Mint Agency shall be made as may be prescribed by the Minister of Finance.

(Transfer from General Account) Article 7. For the purpose of manufacturing the subsidiary coins (meaning the coins other than gold coins under the provision of Article 3 of the Coins Law (Law No.16 of 1897) and the extraordinary subsidiary coins under the provision of Article 1 of the Extraordinary Currency Law (Law No.86 of 1938);hereinafter the same), the Government may transfer the amount necessary for expansion and improvement of fixed assets of this Account and the amount necessary for manufacturing the subsidiary coins to this Account from the General Account as may be prescribed in the budget. 2 The amount transferred to this Account from the General Account for expansion and improvement of fixed assets under the provision of the preceding paragraph shall be devoted to the increase in the capital proper of this Account.

(Reversion of Exchanged Coins or Withdrawn Coins) Article 8. The subsidiary coins exchanged or withdrawn by the Government shall belong to the assets of this Account.

(Tranfer to the Withdrawal Reserve Fund) Article 9. In this Account, the amount equivalent to the value of the subsidiary coins manufactured and issued by the Government shall be transferred to the Subsidiary Coins Withdrawal Reserve Fund prescribed in Article 18 paragraph 1.

CHAPTER II Capital and Assets

(Capital and its Classifications) Article 10. The capital of this Account shall be classified into three categories, the capital proper, the reserve for depreciation and the borrowed capital. 2 The capital proper shall be the total of the amount of fixed capital and fixed working capital succeeded to this Account from the former Mint Agency Special Account and the amount equivalent to the value of bullions belonging to the fund of the former Mint Agency Special Account (including the exchanged coins and the withdrawn coins). 3 The reserves for depreciation shall be the amount equivalent to the accumulated amount of depreciated amount for the assets belonging to this Account (in case there is any amount transferred back under the provision of Article 14 paragraph 3, the said amount shall be deducted). 4 The borrowed capital shall be the amount equivalent to the temporary borrowings, amount payable, cash received in advance, money in custody and other liabilities similar thereto, on the burden of this Account.

(Assets and its Classification) Article 11. The assets of this Account shall be classified into the fixed assets, the operation assets and the current assets. 2 The fixed assets shall be land, buildings, timbers and bamboos, structures, unfinished works, machines and samples, and facilities and patent rights and other similar rights designated by the Minister of Finance. 3 The operation assets shall be products, bullions (including the exchanged coins and withdrawn coins), raw materials, equipments and goods in process and other similar articles. 4 The current assets shall be cash, deposits, cash receivable, advances and other similars.

(Value of Fixed Assets) Article 12. The value of the fixed assets shall be the total amount of the direct and indirect expenses necessary for aquisition thereof as prescribed by the Minister of Finance; provided that, those of the fixed assets acquired without pay shall be determined in consideration of the current price.

(Depreciation) Article 13. Among the fixed assets, the assets designated by the Minister of Finance to be depreciated shall be depreciated every fiscal year as may be prescribed by the Minister of Finance.

(Revision and Cancel of Value of Fixed Assets) Article 14. In case the whole or a part of the fixed assets was lost, transferred, removed or abandoned, its value shall be reduced or cancelled in proportion to the said less, transfer, removal or abandonment as may be prescribed by the Minister of Finance. 2 In case the value of the fixed assets become extremely improper due to the change of general market prices and other special reasons, the value may be revised as may be prescribed by the Minister of Finance. 3 In case the assets the value of which is revised or reduced under the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs are those to be depreciated, the amount already depreciated for these assets concerned shall be transferred back from the reserves for depreciation as may be prescribed by the Minister of Finance.

(Value of Operation Assets) Article 15. The value of the operation assets shall be the purchasing price or the manufacturing cost. 2 In case it is difficult to determine the value under the provision of the preceding paragraph or it is improper due to special reason to determine the value under the provision of the preceding paragraph, the value shall be determined in consideration of the current price 3 Regardless of the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, the value of the exchanged coins and the withdrawn coins shall be determined according to the current price of bullions.

(Transfer of Value, etc. of Operation Assets) Article 16. In case the operation assets have been used for the purpose of enterprise, the value thereof shall be reduced from the operation assets and shall be accounted as disbursement of expenditures for the enterprise using them. 2 The expenses necessary for handling the operation assets shall be allocated to the disbursed amount of expenditures in proportion with them under the preceding paragraph, as may be prescribed by the Minister of Finance. 3 In case the articles other than those of the assets have been repaired, the expenses for the repair shall be accounted as the disbursement of expenditures for the enterprise using the said articles, as may be prescribed by the Minister of Finance.

(Revision and Cancel of Value of Operation Assets) Article 17. In case the operation assets have been damaged, changed in quality, lost or disqualified due to the revision of their standard, the value shall be reduced or cancelled in proportion to the said damage, change in quality or loss, or the proportion of disqualification. 2 The value of the operation assets existing at the end of every fiscal year shall be reduced according to the current price only in case when the current price of the operation assets concerned becomes less than the value as prescribed in Article 15.

CHAPTER III Subsidiary Coins Withdrawal Reserve Fund

(Establishment of Withdrawal Reserve Fund) Article 18. The Subsidiary Coins Withdrawal Reserve Fund (hereinafter referred to as "the Withdrawal Reserve Fund" ) shall be established in this Account in order to provide for the withdrawal of subsidiary coins, and it consists of the cash which has belonged to the fund of the former Mint Agency Special Account, the amount transferred under the provision of Article 9 and the profit on employment under the provision of Article 19 paragraph 2 (excluding the amount transferred to the annual revenues of this Account). 2 The amount to be reserved as the withdrawal Reserve Fund under the provision of the preceding paragraph shall be equivalent to the current amount of the subsidiary coins issued. 3 In case the amount reserved as the withdrawal Reserve Fund exceeds the current amount of the subsidiary coins issued as of the end of the fiscal year concerned, the amount equivalent to the said excess shall be transferred to the revenues of this Account for the following fiscal year.

(Employment of Withdrawal Reserve Fund and Disposition of Profit on Employment) Article 19. The cash arising in the Withdrawal Reserve Fund due to the issuance of subsidiary coins may be employed only in case of being deposited with the Deposit Bureau, Ministry of Finance. 2 In case there arises any profit on employment under the provision of the preceding paragraph, the said profit shall be transferred to the Withdrawal Reserve Fund until the total value of the assets of the said Fund reaches the amount prescribed in paragraph 2 of the preceding Article, and then, the amount of excess, if any, shall be transferred to the revenue of this Account.

(Method of Accounting of Withdrawal Reserves Fund) Article 20. The receipt and payment of the Withdrawal Reserve Fund shall be accounted for as those not belonging to the annual revenues or expenditures for this Account, as may be prescribed by the Minister of Finance.

(Entrusting the Intendance of Withdrawal Reserve Fund) Article 21. The Minister of Finance shall cause the Director of the Mint Agency to perform the intendance of the Withdrawal Reserve Fund; provided that, the Minister of Finance may cause the other officer to perform a part thereof.

CHAPTER IV Operation Fund

(Temporary Borrowings) Article 22. In case there arises any deficit on cash for payment in this Account, the temporary borrowings may be made on the burden of this Account. 2 The maximum amount of the temporary borrowings under the provision of the preceding paragraph shall be approved by the Diet in the form of the budget. 3 The temporary borrowings under the provision of paragraph 1 shall be redeemed within the fiscal year concerned; provided that, in case they can not be redeemed owing to the less income of annual revenues this Account may convert the temporary borrowings within the unredeemable amount. 4 The temporary borrowings converted under the provision of the proviso to the preceding paragraph shall be redeemed within one year from the day of their conversion.

(Transfer to the Special Account for National Debt Consolidation Fund) Article 23. In case the temporary borrowings is made under the provision of the preceding Article in this Account, the amount necessary for disbursing the expenses for the redemption and the payment of interest thereof shall be transferred to the Special Account for National Debt Consolidation Fund at the time when the disbursement concerned is required; provided that, this shall not apply to the redemption of the temporary borrowings to be redeemed within the same fiscal year.

(Employment of Surplus Cash) Article 24. In case there arises any surplus cash in this Account, the said surplus may be deposited with the Deposit Bureau, Ministry of Finance.

CHAPTER V Fund Program

(Fund Program, etc.) Article 25. In this Account, in order to show the increase, decrease and change in the Withdrawal Reserve Fund and to smooth the financing of the operating fund, the fund program shall be prepared and the actual results thereof shall be shown clearly as may be prescribed by the Minister of Finance.

CHAPTER VI Budget

(Preparation of Statement of Estimated Revenues and Expenditures, etc.) Article 26. The Minister of Finance shall prepare the statement of estimated revenues and expenditures and the request for contract authorizations for this Account every fiscal year.

(Classification of Budget of Revenues and Appropriations) Article 27. The Budget of revenues and appropriations for this Account shall be classified into titles and items in accordance with the source of revenues and the purpose of appropriations.

(Preparation and Submission of Budget) Article 28. The Cabinet shall prepare the"budget of this Account every fiscal year and submit it to the Diet together with the budget of the General Account. 2 The budget under the preceding paragraph shall accompany the following documents: (1) The statement of estimated revenues and expenditures and the request for contract authorizations; (2) The inventory, the balance sheet, the profit and loss statement and the table on actual results under the provision of Article 25, for the fiscal year before last; (3) The estimated balance sheet, the estimated profit and loss statement and the plan table under the provision of Artcle 25, for the preceding fiscal year and for the fiscal year concerned; (4) The statement showing the disbursed amounts and estimates of the disbursement until the end of the preceding fiscal year and amount of estimated disbursement after the current fiscal year concerning the contract authorizations extending after the following fiscal year, and the same showing the total plan, the progress and others of enterprise, etc. concerning the one extending over several fiscal years.

CHAPTER VII Receipts and Disbursements

(Entrusting of Receipt and Disbursement) Article 29. The Minister of Finance shall cause the Director of the Mint Agency to execute the budget of revenues and expenditures and the contract authorizations of this Account, except the reserve fund, after they are allocated under the provision of Article 31 paragraph 1 of the Finance Law (Law No.34 of 1947); provided that, he may cause other officer to execute a part thereof.

CHAPTER VIII Settlement of Account

(Preparation of Financial Statements) Article 30. The Minister of Finance shall prepare the inventory, the balance sheet, the profit and loss statement, the comparative statement of increase and decrease in the value of assets and that of increase and decrease in capital for this Account every fiscal year.

(Devotion of Profit to the Capital) Article 31. In case there arises any profit on the settlement of account for cash fiscal year in this Account, the amount equivalent to the amount of value of the fixed assets and the operating assets as of the end of the fiscal year concerned (excluding the value of the fixed assets increased under the provision of Article 7 paragraph 1, the value of the assets equivalent to the temporary borrowings converted under the provision of Article 22 paragraph 3, the value equivalent to the current amount of the exchanged coins and the withdrawn coins as of the end of the fiscal year concerned and the value of coins not yet issued) minus value of the assets concerned as of the end of the preceding fiscal year, out of the said profit, may be devoted to the increase in the capital proper of this Account.

(Payment of Profit into General Account) Article 32. In this Account, the amount of profit on the settlement of account for each fiscal year, after reducing the amount to be devoted to the increase in the capital roper of this Account under the provisions of the preceding Article, shall be paid into the revenues of the General Account for the fiscal year in which the said profit arises. 2 In case the profit on the settlement of this Account is paid into the General Account under the provision of the preceding paragraph, when the cash belonging to this Account is less than the amount of profit to be paid or when it is necessary to devote a part of the said amount of cash to the increase in the operation fund of this Account, the Minister of Finance shall determine the amount to be paid into the General Account for the fiscal year concerned and the amount thus determined shall be paid. 3 The amount unpaid in the fiscal year concerned under the provision of the preceding paragraph shall be paid into the General Account in the following fiscal year and thereafter as may be prescribed by the Minister of Finance.

(Disposition of Loss) Article 33. In this Account, in case there arises any loss on the settlement of account for every fiscal year, the said loss shall be settled as the carrying forward of the loss.

(Preparation of Final Statement of Revenues and Expenditures) Article 34. The Minister of Finance shall prepare the final statement of revenues and expenditures of this Account in accordance with the same classification as that of the statement of estimated revenues and expenditures, and the statement concerning the liabilities of this Account, every fiscal year.

(Preparation and Submission of Settlement of Revenues and Expenditures) Article 35. The Cabinet shall prepare the settlement of revenues and expenditures for this Account and submit it to the Diet together with that of the General Account every fiscal year. 2 The settlement of revenues and expenditures under the preceding paragraph shall accompany the following documents: (1) Final statement of revenues and expenditures; (2) The inventory, the balance sheet, the profit and loss statement, the comparative statement of increase and decrease in value of the assets, the comparative statement of increase and decrease in capital and the actual result under the provision of Article 25; (3) The statement concerning liabilities.

CHAPTER IX Miscellaneous Provisions

(Carrying Forward of Undisbursed Amount) Article 36. In this Account, the appropriation which became due and was not disbursed before the conclusion of receipt and payment for the fiscal year concerned may be carried forward to and disbursed in the following fiscal year. 2 The provisions of Article 43 of the Finance Law shall not apply to the carrying forward under the provision of the preceding paragraph. 3 In case the carrying forward is made under the provision of paragraph 1, the Minister of Finance shall notify it to the Board of Audit. 4 In case the carrying forward is made under the provision of paragraph 1, the appropriation concerned shall be deemed as the budget allocated under the provision of Article 31 paragraph 1 of the Finance Law.

(Intendance Regulation) Article 37. Other than those prescribed in this Law and Cabinet Orders issued there-under, the Minister of Finance shall establish the intendance regulations for this Account for the purpose of efficient operation of the enterprise of the Mint Agency and the proper execution of the budget.

(Enforcement Provision) Article 38. The necessary procedural and administrative matters for enforcement of this Law shall be prescribed by Cabinet Order.