I hereby promulgate the Japanese Overseas Agencies Establishment Law.
Sighed:HIROHITO, Seal of the Emperor
This nineteenth day of the fourth month of the twenty-fifth year of Showa (April 19, 1950)
Prime Minister YOSHIDA Shigeru
Japanese Overseas Agencies Establishment Law
(Purpose of this Law)
Article 1. The purpose of this Law is to provide for the establishment, responsibilities, accounting and personnel to be assigned together with their compensation, of Japanese Overseas Agencies.
(Establishment of Japanese Overseas Agencies)
Article 2. The Japanese Overseas Agencies (hereinafter to be called "Overseas Agencies" ) shall be established as overseas agencies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The names and locations of the Overseas Agencies shall be as follows:
Name |
Location |
The Japanese Overseas Agency in New York |
New York, N. Y., U. S. A. |
The Japanese Overseas Agency in San Francisco |
San Francisco, California, U. S. A. |
The Japanese Overseas Agency in Los Angeles |
Los Angels, California, U. S. A. |
The Japanese Overseas Agency in Honolulu |
Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, U. S. A. |
The Japanese Overseas Agency in Seattle |
Seattle, Washington, U. S. A. |
2 In case a special necessity arises, other Overseas Agencies, in addition to those provided for in the preceding paragraph, shall be established by Cabinet Order within the limits of budgetary appropriations.
(Responsibilities of Overseas Agencies)
Article 3. Overseas Agencies shall take charge of the affairs as listed in each of the following items;
(1) Promotion of trade with the countries in which Overseas Agencies are established;
(2) Researches into the market and economic conditions in the countries in which Overseas Agencies are established with a view to promoting trade with such countries;
(3) Transmission of information concerning laws and orders governing foreign trade and commercial matters in the country in which Overseas Agencies are established;
(4) Supply of information concerning laws and orders governing foreign trade and commercial matters of Japan;
(5) Extending good offices in connection with foreign trade and replying to inquiries concerning foreign trade;
(6) Displaying samples of merchandise and supplying information on Japanese economic conditions relating to trade with Japan;
(7) Replying to inquiries, and supplying information, concerning travel;
(8) Handling of affairs pertaining to Japanese nationality;
(9) Handling of affairs pertaining to Japanese family registers;
(10) Preparation of documents regarding official certification in accordance with Japanese legal requirements;
(11) Handling of affairs pertaining to the protection and administration of property of deceased Japanese nationals;
(12) Bringing to the universal attention of Japanese residents Japanese laws and orders of special importance (including directives of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers);
(13) Handling of affairs concerning the protection of Japanese residents and the promotion of commercial interests, in addition to the affairs listed in each of the preceding items.
(Chief of Overseas Agency)
Article 4. A Chief shall be appointed for each Overseas Agency.
2 The Chief shall, under orders of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, take general control over the affairs of the Overseas Agency.
3 In case the Chief is prevented from performing his duties or his post becomes vacant, a member of personnel previously designated by the Minister for Foreign Affairs shall act in his place.
(Personnel)
Article 5. The personnel assigned to Overseas Agencies (hereinafter to be called "personnel" ) shall be the personnel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
(Compensation of Personnel)
Article 6. Personnel shall be furnished with overseas and dwelling allowances, in addition to the compensation as provided for in the Law concerning the Base Pay of Employees in the Regular Government Service (Law No.95 of 1950).
(Overseas Allowances)
Article 7. Personnel shall be furnished with overseas allowances for the period from the day following the date of arrival at their place of appointment to the day preceding the date of departure from such place by order for home or for another place of appointment.
2 Personnel shall, in the case of being ordered to return home temporarily, be furnished with overseas allowances for the period from the date of departure from their place of appointment to the date of return to such place.
3 Personnel shall, in the case of dying at their place of appointment or being discharged from the service, be furnished with overseas allowances for the month to which the date of such death or discharge belongs.
(Dwelling Allowances)
Article 8. Personnel shall, in the case of their spouse living with them at their place of appointment, be furnished with living allowances for the period from the day following the date of arrival of their spouse at such place to the day preceding the date of departure therefrom for home or for transfer to another place of appointment.
2 Personnel shall, in the case of dying at their place of appointment or being discharged from the service or in the case of their spouse dying at such place, be furnished with dwelling allowances up to and including the month to which the date of such death of personnel or their discharge or of such death of their spouse belongs;provided, however, that, in the case of the death of personnel, the Minister for Foreign Affairs may furnish the bereaved spouse, when it is deemed necessary, with dwelling allowances specially for the period not exceeding ninety days from the date of such death.
(Amounts of Overseas and Living Allowances)
Article 9. The amounts of overseas and dwelling allowances to be furnished shall be as per list attached.
2 Overseas and living allowances shall be furnished monthly in twelve equal instalments.
3 The gradation of personnel with regard to their overseas and dwelling allowances shall be decided by the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
(Daily Rate Calculation of Overseas and Living Allowances)
Article 10. In the case where overseas and dwelling allowances are to be calculated by day in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 paragraph 1 or 2 or Article 8, the amount reached by multiplying the monthly amount by the number of actual service days and dividing the result by the balance left after deducting the number of non-service days from the actual number of the month concerned shall be the amount payable for the said month.
(Payment of Compensation)
Article 11. Allowances payable to personnel in accordance with the Law concerning the Base Pay of Employees in the Regular Government Service may be paid to person designated by the personnel to whom such allowances are payable.
(The Case of Non-payment of Family Allowances)
Article 12. With regard to the family allowances as provided for in Article 11 of the Law concerning the Enforcement of New Compensation of Government Personnel, personnel whose dependents live with them at their place of appointment shall not be furnished with those allowances for such dependents.
(Fees)
Article 13. The cases in which Overseas Agencies shall charge fees for the handling of the affairs listed in each item of Article 3 and the amounts of such fees shall be prescribed by Cabinet Order.
Supplementary Provisions:
1. This Law shall come into force as from the date of its promulgation.
2. With regard to the management, under the general control of Chiefs of Overseas Agencies, of the affairs listed in each item of Article 3, "Consuls" and "Consular officials" in other laws and orders shall read "Chiefs of Japanese Overseas Agencies," and "Consulates" shall read "Japanese Overseas Agencies."
Attached List
Allowances |
Annual Amount of Overseas Allowances |
Annual Amount of Dwelling Allowances |
Grade |
Grade 1 |
U. S.$5,800 U. S. |
$1,200 |
,, 2 |
5,500 |
,, 3 |
5,100 |
,, 4 |
4,800 |
,, 5 |
4,500 |
,, 6 |
4,200 |
,, 7 |
3,900 |
,, 8 |
3,600 |
,, 9 |
3,400 |
,, 10 |
3,200 |
Prime Minister YOSHIDA Shigeru
Attorney-General UEDA Shunkichi
Minister for Foreign Affairs YOSHIDA Shigeru
Minister of Finance IKEDA Hayato
Minister of Education TAKASE Sotaro
Minister of Welfare HAYASHI Joji
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry MORI Kotaro
Minister of International Trade and Industry TAKASE Sotaro
Minister of Transportation OYA Shinzo
Minister of Postal Services OZAWA Saeki
Minister of Telecommunications OZAWA Saeki
Minister of Labor SUZUKI Masabumi
Minister of Construction MASUTANI Shuji
President of Economic Stabilization Board YOSHIDA Shigeru