I hereby promulgate the Law concerning Annuity for Persons of Cultural Merits. Signed:HIROHITO, Seal of the Emperor This third day of the fourth month of the twenty-sixth year of Showa (April 3, 1951) Prime Minister YOSHIDA Shigeru Law No.125 Law concerning Annuity for Persons of Cultural Merits

(Purpose of this Law) Article 1. The purpose of this Law is to grant annuity, for official commendation, to those who have achieved most distinguished merits in the progress of science, arts and other fields of culture (hereinafter referred to as "persons of cultural merits" ).

(Committee for Selecting Persons of Cultural Merits) Article 2. The Committee for Selecting Persons of Cultural Merits shall be established in the Ministry of Education. 2 The Committee for Selecting Persons of Cultural Merits shall, in response to the inquiry by the Minister of Education, make research and deliberation upon matters concerning the selection of candidates for persons of cultural merits.

(Members) Article 3. The Committee for Selecting Persons of Cultural Merits shall be composed of ten members. 2 The members shall be appointed by the Minister of Education from among persons who have high knowledge relating to science, arts, and other cultural fields.

(Term of Office of Members) Article 4. The term of office of the members shall be one year. However, the term of office of the member who fills a vacancy in the membership shall be the remainder of the term of office of his predecessor. 2 The member may be reappointed.

(Chairman and Vice-chairman) Article 5. The Committee for Selecting Persons of Cultural Merits shall have a chairman and a vice-chairman elected by mutual vote of the members. 2 The Chairman shall preside over the affairs of the Committee for Selecting Persons of Cultural Merits. 3 The Vice-chairman shall assist the Chairman, act for him when he is prevented from performing his duties, and perform his duties when his office is vacant.

(Details of Organization and Operation) Article 6. Other than those provided for in the preceding four Articles, details concerning the organization and operation of the Committee for Selecting Persons of Cultural Merits shall be provided for by Cabinet Order.

(Determination of Persons of Cultural Merits) Article 7. Persons of cultural merits shall be determined by the Minister of Education from among those selected by the Committee for Selecting Persons of Cultural Merits.

(Annuity) Article 8. The annuity, five hundred thousand yen (\500,000) shall be granted for life to persons of cultural merits. 2 The method of granting the annuity under the preceding paragraph shall be provided for by Cabinet Order.

Supplementary Provisions: 1 This Law shall come into force as from the day of its promulgation. 2 The Ministry of Education Establishment Law (Law No.146 of 1949) shall be partially amended as follows: Article 7 paragraph 2 item (1) shall be made item (I)-2 of the same paragraph, and before the same item shall be added the following one item: (I) Selecting persons of cultural merits and disposing of other affairs as are placed under the Ministry of Education in accordance with the Law concerning Annuity for Persons of Cultural Merits (Law No.125 of 1951). In Article 24 paragraph 1, "Name Purpose " shall be amended as " Name Purpose" Committee for Selecting Persons of Cultural Merits. To make research and deliberation upon matters concerning the selection of candidates for persons of cultural merits, in response to the inquiry by the Minister of Education. Minister of Finance IKEDA Hayato Minister of Education AMANO Teiyu Prime Minister YOSHIDA Shigeru