Article 1.　The purpose of this Law is to secure the breeding stock, intensify the utilization thereof and promote the improvement and increased production of the livestock, and thereby to contribute to the development of the livestock industry.

Article 2.　The State, or To, Do, Fu or prefecture shall actively carry out any matter, though it does not fall within the scope of the matters prescribed in and after Chapter II, that is effectual for the promotion of improvement and increased production of the livestock.

Article 3.　Within the meaning of this Law, the term "breeding stock" shall mean a male stock of cattle, horse and any other kind of livestock designated by Cabinet Order for which the raiser thereof has obtained the breeding stock certificate as provided for in the following Article.

2　Within the meaning of this Law, the term "artificial insemination of livestock" shall mean such operation as to collect semen from a male stock of cattle, horse, sheep, goat or swine, treat it, and inject it into a female stock.

Article 4.　Any male stock of cattle, horse or any other kind of livestock designated by Cabinet Order shall not be used for covering service (including artificial insemination of livestock;hereinafter the same), unless the raiser thereof presents it to the annual inspection conducted regularly by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry and obtains the breeding stock certificate;provided, however, that this shall not apply to any of the cases mentioned below:

2　The inspection mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall be conducted as to whether the male stock concerned has any of the infectious and heritable diseases and reproductive difficulties designated by Ministerial Ordinance (hereinafter generally referred to as "disease" ) or not.

3　In the breeding stock certificate under paragraph 1 shall be stated the grade of the breeding stock concerned determined on the basis of pedigree, performance and form.

Article 5.　The breeding stock shall not be used for covering service in awareness of its being affected with a disease;provided, however, that this shall not apply to the case mentioned in paragraph 1 item (3) of the preceding Article.

Article 6.　The effective term of the breeding stock certificate granted on the basis of the inspection conducted regularly by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry under the provision of the principal clause of Article 4 paragraph 1 shall be one year from the day of tbe inspection concerned.

2　The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry may, in case the next regular inspection can not be conducted within one year from the day of the inspection mentioned in the preceding paragraph owing to a natural disaster or any other unavoidable circumstances, extend the effective term mentioned in the same paragraph within the limit not exceeding six months, notwithstanding the provision of the same paragraph.

3　The effective term of the breeding stock certificate granted on the basis of an extraordinary inspection conducted by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry or governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture under the provision of Article 4 paragraph 1 item (1) or (2) shall be until the day on which one year elapses from the day of the inspection concerned or the day of the next regular inspection, whichever earlier.

Article 7.　The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry or governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture may cancel or suspend, according to seriousness of the disease, the validity of the breeding stock certificate that has been granted for any breeding stock which he deems to be affected with a disease from the result of the inspection mentioned in Article 35.

2　In cases where the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry or governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture has suspended the validity of the breeding stock certificate in accordance with the provision of the preceding paragraph, if the breeding stock concerned recovers from the disease, he shall release the suspension without delay.

Article 8.　The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry shall, in case he grants the breeding stock certificate mentioned in the principal clause of Article 4 paragraph 1 or item (1) of the same paragraph, extends the effective term of the breeding stock certificate under the provision of Article 6 paragraph 2, cancels or suspends the validity of the breeding stock certificate or releases such suspension under the provisions of the preceding Article, or in any other case specified by Ministerial Ordinance, notify the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefdcture who has jurisdiction over the To, Do, Fu or prefecture where the breeding stock concerned is located to that effect.

2　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture shall, in case he receives the notice mentioned in the preceding paragraph, grants the breeding stock certificate mentioned in Article 4 paragraph 1 item (2), cancels or suspends the validity of the breeding stock certificate or releases such suspension under the provisions of the preceding Article, or in any other case specified by Ministerial Ordinance, give a public notice to that effect.

Article 9.　The raiser of breeding stock shall present the breeding stock certifieate when requested by the raiser of female stock to be served by his breeding stock or any other person specified by Ministerial Ordinance.

2　The raiser of breeding stock shall keep a covering service ledger and enter matters concerning the covering services therein.

3　The raiser of breeding stock shall keep the covering service ledger mentioned in the preceding paragraph for a period of five years.

4　The raiser of the breeding stock shall, when requested by the raiser of the female stock served by his breeding stock for the delivery of the covering service certificate or the semen collection certificate, or by the livestock artificial inseminator who collected the semen to be used for artificial insemination of livestock (hereinafter referred to as "semen for artificial insemination of livestock" ) from his breeding stock for certification of collection of the said semen, not refuse it without justifiable reasons.

Article 10.　Other than those provided for in this Chapter, matters concerning the methods and procedures of the inspection mentioned in Article 4, delivery, re-writing, re-issuance and return of the breeding stock certificate and other procedures relative to the breeding stock certificate, and the forms of the covering service ledger, covering service certificate and semen collection certificate mentioned in the preceding Article shall be provided for by Ministerial Ordinance.

Article 11.　Any person other than a livestock artificial inseminator shall not collect the semen for artificial insemination of livestock, treat it, or inject it into a female stock;provided, however, that this shall not apply to the case where it is done for the purpose of scientific research or where the semen for artificial insemination of livestock is collected from a male stock of one's own, treated and injected into a female stock of one's own, nor to any other case to be provided for by Ministerial Ordinance.

Article 12.　The semen for artificial insemination of livestock shall not be collected or treated at any place other than a livestock artificial insemination station, livestock hygiene service center or institute which the State or To, Do, Fu or prefecture establishes for the purpose of conducting the artificial insemination of livestock;provided, however, that this shall not apply to the case where the semen for artificial insemination of livestock is collected from a male stock for which frequency of the collection of the semen for artificial insemination of livestock does not reach the frequency to be designated by governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture or where such semen is treated, nor to the case mentioned in the proviso to the preceding Article.

Article 13.　When the livestock artificial inseminator collected the semen for artificial insemination of livestock, he shall promptly examine the same following the methods specified by Ministerial Ordinance.

2　The livestock artificial inseminator shall, immediately after the examination mentioned in the preceding paragraph, put the semen for artificial insemination of livestock in a container, which shall be sealed and labeled with the certificate of semen for artificial insemination of livestock following the methods specified by Ministerial Ordinance;provided, however, that this shall not apply to the case where the semen concerned is to be, after the examination, injected into a female stock on the spot.

3　The livestock artificial inseminator shall, in case he finds any of the abnormalities specified by Ministerial Ordinance as the result of the examination under paragraph 1, promptly report it to a breeding stock inspector or local breeding stock inspector.

Article 14.　Any semen for artificial insemination of livestock, which is not sealed nor labeled with the certificate of semen in contravention of paragraph 2 of the preceding Article, shall not be transferred nor injected into a female stock;provided, however, that this shall not apply to the case mentioned in the proviso to Article 11 or in the proviso to paragraph 2 of the preceding Article.

2　Any semen of poor quality for artificial insemination of livestock as specified by Ministerial Ordinance shall not be transferred or injected into a female stock;provided, however, that this shall not apply to the case mentioned in the proviso to Article 11.

Article 15.　The livestock artificial inseminator shall keep a livestock artificial insemination record book and enter the matters concerning the operation of artificial insemination of livestock therein.

2　The livestock artificial inseminator shall keep the livestock artificial insemination record book mentioned in the preceding paragraph for a period of five years.

Article 16.　Any person who wishes to be a livestock artificial inseminator shall obtain the licence of governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture.

2　Any person other than the person who falls under one of the following items can not be granted the licence for livestock artificial inseminator:

3　The person who has been granted the licence for livestock artificial inseminator in conformity with item (2) of the preceding paragraph, may engage in his business as a livestock artificial inseminator only in respect to the kind of livestock concerning the final examination under the same paragraph he passed.

Article 17.　The licence under the preceding Article shall not be granted to a person adjudged incompetent or quasi-incompetent.

2　The grant of the licence under the preceding Article may be refused to a person who comes under any one of the following item:

Article 18.　When the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture grants the licence mentioned in Art.16, he shall deliver a licence for livestock artificial inseminator.

Article 19.　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture shall, in case the livestock artificial inseminator becomes such kind of person as provided for in Article 17 paragraph 1, or the application has been filed with him by the livestock artificial inseminator, cancel the licence concerned.

2　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture may, in case the livestock artificial inseminator becomes such kind of person as mentioned in any one of the items of Article 17 paragraph 2, or contravenes any disposition made in accordance with this Law or any order issued thereunder, cancel the licence concerned or order suspension of the business.

3　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture shall, when he intends to make the disposition under the preceding paragraph, send a previous notice beforehand to the person to be affected by the said disposition at a reasonable interval of time and conduct a hearing open to the public.

4　In the previous notice under the preceding paragraph there shall be stated the date, place and the agenda.

5　In a hearing, the person who is affected by the disposition concerned shall be given an opportunity to express his opinions on the proposed agenda and also to present his evidence.

Article 20.　The validity of the licence mentioned in Art.16 and the cancellation of the licence or the suspension of the business mentioned in the preceding Article shall extend over all To, Do, Fu and prefectures.

Article 21.　No person other than a livestock artificial inseminator shall use the name of livestock artificial inseminator.

Article 22.　When a livestock artificial inseminator operates an artificial insemination of livestock, he shall carry with him his licence for livestock artificial inseminator and present it whenever requested by the raiser of the livestock with respect to which the artificial insemination of livestock is operated.

2　Whenever a livestock artificial inseminator is requested for the delivery of the insemination certificate by the raiser of the female stock, into which the semen for artificial insemination of livestock has been injected, or to certify the collection of semen by the raiser of the male stock, from which the semen for artificial insemination of livestock has been collected, he shall not refuse it without justifiable reasons.

Article 23.　Any livestock artificial inseminator shall report his name and address and other pertinent matters specified by Ministerial Ordinance as of December 31 of each year to the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture who has jurisdiction over his domicile by January 31 of the following year.

Article 24.　Any person who intends to establish a livestock artificial insemination station shall obtain the permission therefor from the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture;provided, however, that this shall not apply to the case of a livestock artificial insemination station to be established by the State, or To, Do, Fu or prefecture.

Article 25.　The permission under the preceding Article shall not be granted in the case where the facilities for which the application has been made, are not provided with structures, equipments and apparatuses which shall be specified by Ministerial Ordinance and are necessary for operation of artificial insemination of livestock in proper and sanitary manners.

2　The grant of the permission under the preceding Article may be refused in case the locations of the said facilities are not appropriate from the point of view of public decency.

Article 26.　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture shall, upon receipt of an application from the founder of a livestock artificial insemination station, cancel the permission for establishment of the same station.

2　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture may cancel the permission for establishment of the livestock artificial insemination station or order suspension of use thereof, in cases where the livestock artificial insemination station comes to be deprived of the structures, equipments and apparatuses mentioned in paragraph 1 of the preceding Article or where the founder of the livestock artificial insemination station violates the provisions of this Law or any order issued thereunder, or any disposition made thereunder.

3　The provisions of Article 19 paragraphs 3 to 5 inclusive shall apply mutatis mutandis to the case mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Article 27.　The founder of a livestock artificial insemination station shall own or posess at least one male stock which is in conformity with the standard fixed by the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture after consulting the persons of technical knowledges or experiences in livestock raising, or arrange to be supplied, by contract or other means, with the semen for artificial insemination of livestock collected from a livestock which is raised by another person and is in conformity with the standard;provided, however, that this shall not apply to a livestock artificial insemination station where no collection of the semen for artificial insemination of livestock is done.

2　The founder of a livestock artificial insemination station shall report the kind, name, date of birth and pedigree of the livestock mentioned in the preceding paragraph to the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture, except for the case mentiond in the proviso to the same paragraph.

Article 28.　The founder of the livestock artificial insemination station shall have a livestock artificial inseminator, who shall be tasked with the management of the said livestock artificial insemination station, except for the case where he himself is a livestock artificial inseminator and manages the livestock artificial insemination station.

Article 29.　Whenever the founder of the livestock artificial insemination station is requested for the supply of semen for artificial insemination of livestock at his livestock artificial insemination station, he shall not refuse it without justifiable reasons.

Article 30.　No facility other than a livestock artificial insemination station shall use in its name the words which indicate a livestock artificial insemination station.

Article 31.　Any livestock artificial insemination station established by the State, or To, Do, Fu or prefecture or any other facility established by the State, or To, Do, Fu or prefecture for the purpose of artificial insemination of livestock shall be provided with the structures, equipments and apparatuses mentioned in Article 25 paragraph 1.

Article 32.　Other than those provided for in this Chapter, necessary matters concerning the form of the livestock artificial insemination record book mentioned in Article 15, scheme of the short-course school and final examination mentioned in Article 16 paragraph 2 item (2), procedures of application for the licence for livestock artificial inseminator and the permission for establishment of livestock artificial insemination station as well as delivery, re-writing, re-issuance and return of the licence for livestock artificial inseminator shall be provided for by Ministerial Ordinance.

Article 33.　The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry shall have breeding stock inspectors, and To, Do, Fu or prefecture shall have local breeding stock inspectors to be tasked with the business relative to improvement and increased production of livestock.

2　The breeding stock inspectors shall be appointed by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry from among the personnel of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry who hold knowledge and experience in livestock raising.

3　The local breeding stock inspectors shall be appointed by the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture from among the technical officials of To, Do, Fu or prefecture who hold knowledge and experience in livestock raising.

Article 34.　The governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture may, in case he deems it necessary to do so for promotion of improvement and increased production of livestock, request reports on covering services or other necessary matters from the raiser of a breeding stock, founder of a livestock artificial insemination station, or livestock artificial inseminator.

Article 35.　The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry or the governor of To, Do, Fu or prefecture may, in case he deems it necessary to do so for promotion of improvement and increased production of livestock, have a breeding stock inspector or local breeding stock inspector enter livestock barns, livestock artificial insemination station and any other place where artificial insemination of livestock is practised, question persons concerned, inspect livestock, structures, equipments, apparatuses and others of the facility concerned, or service ledgers, livestock artificial insemination record books and other necessary documents, or collect the semen from the breeding stock within the limit of the minimum amount necessary for inspection.

2　Any breeding stock inspector or local breeding stock inspector shall carry with him the identification card showing his official status and show it whenever requested by the person concerned, in cases of entrance, questioning, inspection or collection under the provision of the preceding paragraph.

3　The entrance, questioning, inspection or collection under the provision of paragraph 1 shall not be construed as being recognized for a criminal investigation.

Article 36.　Such persons as listed in the undermentioned column of the following table shall pay a commission, the amount of which shall be decided by Ministerial Ordinance within the limit not exceeding the amounts stated respectively in the right column of the same table;provided, however, that this shall not apply to the State, or To, Do, Fu or prefecture:

2　Of the commissions mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the ones paid by the persons persons who apply to the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry shall be the revenue of the State and the ones paid by the other persons shall be the receipt of the To, Do, Fu or prefecture concerned.

Article 37.　The Government shall be able not to apply the whole or a part of this Law to islands to be designated as may be determined by Cabinet Order.

Article 38.　Any person who comes to fall under any one of the following items shall be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand yen:

Article 39.　Any person who contravenes the provision of Article 12, Article 13 paragraph 2, Article 14 paragraph 1 or 2, Article 21 or Article 30 shall be liable to a fine not exceeding thirty thousand yen.

Article 40.　Any person who comes to fall under any one of the following items shall be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand yen:

Article 41.　Any person who contravenes the provision of Article 9 paragraph 3 or Article 15 paragraph 2 shall be liable to a non-criminal fine not exceeding two thousand yen.