Article 1.　The purpose of this Law is to develop the culturing of pearl oysters and pearls and to improve the quality of pearls, with the object of contributing to the export of pearls and to the economic development of the nation.

Article 2.　"Pearl culture industry" as mentioned in this Law shall mean an industry which cultures pearl oysters or pearls, processes pearls (not including the cases where goods are manufactured by adding metals) or manufactures nuclei of pearls;and "pearl culturist" shall mean a person who engages in such pearl culture industry.

Article 3.　The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry shall, upon hearing the opinion of the Pearl Culture Industry Council, determine every year the goal amount for pearl oyster operation in each of To, Do, Fu and prefectures, according to the sizes of nuclei, and shall make public announcement thereof.

Article 4.　The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry may, in accordance with the provisions of Ministerial Ordinance, request any pearl culturist to submit every year a plan for the pearl culture industry in which he engages.

Article 5.　In cases where a pearl culturist intends to determine the plan as prescribed in the preceding Article, he may ask for an advice thereon of the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry. In this case, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry must give such advices as may be required.

2　In cases where the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry deems it necessary to do so for the purpose of attaining the goal amount determined in accordance with the provision of Article 3, he may recommend to a pearl culturist an alteration in the plan as submitted under the provision of the preceding Article.

3　In cases where the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry has given an advice as prescribed in paragraph 1 or a recommendation as prescribed in the preceding paragraph, he shall, when deemed necessary, assist the pearl culturist in raising funds needed for the industry in keeping with such advice or recommendation.

Article 6.　The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry may, within the limits of the budgetary appropriations, grant a necessary subsidy to a fishermen's cooperative association or a federation of fishermen's cooperative associations which engages in any of the following businesses:

Article 7.　In cases where the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry deems it specially necessary to do so for purposes of development of pearl oyster culturing, he may determine the standard price of pearl oysters and make public announcement thereof.

Article 8.　No pearl (including any pearl used for pearl articles) shall be exported, unless it has been subjected to inspection of the National Pearl Inspection Office in accordance with the provisions of Ministerial Ordinance, and the result of the inspection is indicated in a form as prescribed by Ministerial Ordinance. However, this shall not apply in cases where pearls are exported, upon obtaining the permission of the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, as samples or for such other uses as may be designated by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.

2　In cases where a Ministerial Ordinance is made on the matter concerning the inspection and form mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry must approach the Minister of International Trade and Industry on such matter beforehand.

Article 9.　Any pearl culturist or any other interested person who is not satisfied with the decision of the inspection as prescribed in paragraph 1 of the preceding Article may file an application for holding a hearing with the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry within thirty days as from the day when such decision of the inspection was made.

2　In cases where the application mentioned in the preceding paragraph has been filed, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry must hold a hearing and examine the reason for such dissatisfaction;and if he considers that the decision of the inspection as prescribed in paragraph 1 of the preceding Article is not proper, he must order the Pearl Inspection Office to make another inspection.

Article 10.　A person who intends to undergo the inspection as prescribed in Article 8 paragraph 1 must pay to the State a charge for inspection in the amount as may be determined by Ministerial Ordinance within the limits of thirty yen per momme of pearl.

Article 11.　The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry may demand a pearl culturist who has been assisted in raising funds as prescribed in Article 5 paragraph 3 or has been granted a subsidy under the provision of Article 6 to make reports on necessary matters in order to ascertain how such funds were appropriated or how such subsidy resulted or may cause his officials to enter the office, operating unit or other places of the pearl culturist and examine the pearls, books, documents or other objects relevant thereto.

2　An official who performs examination by making entry into plants in accordance with the provision of the preceding paragraph must carry with him a card identifying his status and show it to the persons concerned.

3　The authority of making entry and examination as prescribed in paragraph 1 must not be construed as having been recognized for a criminal search.

Article 12.　In order to make research and deliberation on matters falling under the scope of its powers, in accordance with the provisions of this Law, and other important matters relating to pearl culture industry, there shall be established a Pearl Culture Industry Council (hereinafter referred to as "the Council" ) in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Article 13.　The Council shall be composed of seven members to be appointed by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.

2　The term of office of a member shall be two years. However, the term of office of a member appointed to fill a vacancy in the membership shall be the unexpired portion of that of his predecessor.

3　The Council shall have a chairman who shall be appointed by mutual vote of the members.

4　The chairman shall preside over the business of the Council.

5　The Council must designate fron among the members in advance a member who shall act for the chairman in case the latter is prevented from discharging his duties.

6　The member shall serve part-time.

7　Other than those provided for in the preceding paragraphs, necessary matters relating to the proceedings of a meeting and the management of the Council shall be determined by the Council.

Article 14.　Any person who has acted in violation of the provision of Article 8 paragraph 1 shall be liable to a penal servitude for a period not exceeding three years or a fine not exceeding three hundred thousand yen.

Article 15.　Any person, who has failed to make the report as prescribed in Article 11 paragraph 1, or has made a false report, or has refused, obstructed or evaded the examination as prescribed in the same paragraph, shall be liable to a penal servitude for a period not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding fifty thousand yen.

Article 16.　In cases where any representative of a juridical person, or any agent, employee or other worker of a juridical person or individual has, in connection with the business affairs of the juridical person or individual, committed any violating act mentioned in the preceding two Articles, not only shall such violator be punished, but the juridical person or individual concerned shall be fined in accordance with the provisions of the respective Articles. However, this shall not apply to the juridical person or individual when the following fact was proved that neither the juridical person nor individual (his legal representative, in cases where the individual is a minor or a person adjudged incompetent who has not the same capacity in relation to business as a person of full age) failed to exercise due care in preventing the violating act concerned by the agent, employee or other worker of the juridical person or individual.