Article 1The purpose of this Act is, in accordance with the principle of sovereignty of the people, and by providing for the right to request the disclosure of administrative documents, etc., to endeavor towards greater disclosure of information held by administrative organs thereby ensuring to achieve accountability of the Government to the citizens for its various activities, and to contribute to the promotion of a fair and democratic administration that is subject to the citizens' appropriate understanding and criticism.

Article 2(1)The term "administrative organ" as used in this Act means the following organs.

(2)The term "administrative document" as used in this Act means a document, picture, and electronic or magnetic record (a record made by an electronic method, a magnetic method, or any other method not recognizable to human senses; the same applies hereinafter) that, having been prepared or obtained by an employee of an administrative organ in the course of their duties, is held by the administrative organ concerned for organizational use by its employees; provided, however, that the following matters are excluded:

Article 3Any person may, pursuant to the provisions of this Act, request the head of an administrative organ (provided that the organ is designated by Cabinet Order set forth in the preceding Article, paragraph (1), items (iv) and (v), the person designated for each organ by Cabinet Order; the same applies hereinafter) the disclosure of administrative documents held by the administrative organ concerned.

Article 4(1)A request for disclosure pursuant to the provisions of the preceding Article (hereinafter referred to as a "disclosure request") must be made by submitting a document describing the matters set forth in the following items (hereinafter referred to as the "written disclosure request") to the head of an administrative organ.

(2)When the head of an administrative organ finds that there is a deficiency in the form of the written disclosure request, they may, setting a reasonable period of time, ask the person having made the disclosure request (hereinafter referred to as the "disclosure requester.") to amend the request. In this case, the head of the administrative organ must endeavor to provide the disclosure requester with information that will be helpful in making the correction.

Article 5When there is a disclosure request, unless any of the information set forth in each of the following items (hereinafter referred to as "non-disclosure information") is recorded in the administrative documents pertaining to the disclosure request, the head of an administrative organ must disclose the administrative documents to the disclosure requester.

Article 6(1)In the case that non-disclosure information is recorded in a part of an administrative document pertaining to a disclosure request, when it is possible to easily divide and exclude the portion in which the non-disclosure information is recorded, the head of an administrative organ discloses to the disclosure requester the portion other than the excluded portion; provided, however, that this does not apply when it is found that no meaningful information is recorded in the portion other than the excluded portion.

(2)In the case that the information set forth in item (i) of the preceding Article (limited to information that can identify a specific individual) is recorded in an administrative document pertaining to a disclosure request, and if by excluding the portion of the description that can identify the specific individual, such as a name or date of birth from the information, it is found that disclosure of the information is not likely to cause damage to the rights and interests of an individual, the preceding paragraph is applied by deeming the portion other than the excluded portion as not being included in the information prescribed in the same item.

Article 7Even in the case that non-disclosure information (excluding the information set forth in Article 5, item (i)-2) is recorded in administrative documents pertaining to a disclosure request, when the head of an administrative organ finds that there is a particular public interest necessity, they may disclose those administrative documents to the disclosure requester.

Article 8When non-disclosure information is to be disclosed by merely answering whether or not the administrative documents pertaining to a disclosure request exist, the head of an administrative organ, without making clear the existence or non-existence of the administrative documents, may refuse the disclosure request.

Article 9(1)When disclosing all or a part of the administrative documents pertaining to a disclosure request, the head of an administrative organ must make a decision to that effect, and notify the disclosure requester to that effect and matters designated by Cabinet Order relating to the implementation of disclosure in writing.

(2)When not disclosing any of the administrative documents pertaining to a disclosure request (including when refusing a disclosure request pursuant to the provisions of the preceding Article and when administrative documents pertaining to a disclosure request are not held), the head of an administrative organ must make a decision to the effect of non-disclosure and notify the disclosure requester to that effect in writing.

Article 10(1)The decisions set forth in the respective items of the preceding Article (hereinafter referred to as "disclosure decisions, etc.") must be made within thirty days from the date of the disclosure request; provided, however, that in the case where a correction is requested pursuant to the provisions of Article 4, paragraph (2), the number of days required for the correction is not to be included in this period of time.

(2)Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding paragraph, when there are reasonable grounds such as difficulties arising from the processing of affairs, the head of an administrative organ may extend the period of time prescribed in the same paragraph for up to thirty days. In this case, the head of an administrative organ must without delay notify the disclosure requester in writing of the extended period and the grounds for the extension.

Article 11In the case that there is a considerably large amount of administrative documents pertaining to a disclosure request, and that there is a risk that the performance of duties may be considerably hindered by making disclosure decisions, etc. for all the documents within sixty days from the date of the disclosure request, notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding Article, it would be sufficient for the head of an administrative organ to make disclosure decisions, etc. for a reasonable portion of the administrative documents pertaining to a disclosure request within that period of time, and to make disclosure decisions, etc. for the remaining administrative documents within a reasonable period of time. In this case, the head of an administrative organ must within the period of time prescribed in paragraph (1) of the same Article notify the disclosure requester in writing of the following matters:

Article 12(1)The head of an administrative organ may, when administrative documents pertaining to a disclosure request were prepared by another administrative organ or when there is reasonable grounds for the head of another administrative organ to make disclosure decisions, etc., upon consulting with the head of that administrative organ, transfer the case to the head of that administrative organ. In this case, the head of the administrative organ who has transferred the case must notify the disclosure requester in writing to the effect that the case was transferred.

(2)When a case has been transferred pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the head of the administrative organ who has received the transfer must make the disclosure decisions, etc. for the disclosure request. In this case, the acts conducted prior to transfer by the head of the administrative organ who has transferred the case are deemed to be those conducted by the head of the administrative organ who has received the transfer.

(3)In the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, when the head of the administrative organ who has received the transfer makes a decision set forth in Article 9, paragraph (1) (hereinafter referred to as a "disclosure decision"), the head of that administrative organ must implement the disclosure. In this case, the head of the administrative organ who has transferred the case must cooperate as necessary in the implementation of that disclosure.

Article 12-2(1)When administrative documents pertaining to a disclosure request was prepared by an incorporated administrative agency, etc., or when there are reasonable grounds for an incorporated administrative agency, etc. to make disclosure decisions, etc. prescribed in Article 10, paragraph (1) of Incorporated Administrative Agency, etc. Information Disclosure Act, the head of an administrative organ may, upon consulting with the incorporated administrative agency, etc., transfer the case to that Incorporated Administrative Agency, etc. In this case, the head of the administrative organ who has transferred the case must notify the disclosure requester in writing to the effect that the case was transferred.

(2)When a case has been transferred pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the provisions of the Incorporated Administrative Agency etc. Information Disclosure Act are applied to the transferred case by deeming the administrative documents to be the corporate documents prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (2) of the Incorporated Administrative Agency, etc. Information Disclosure Act, held by the incorporated administrative agency, etc. that received the transfer and the disclosure request to be the disclosure request prescribed in Article 4, paragraph (1) of the Incorporated Administrative Agency, etc. Information Disclosure Act that is made to the incorporated administrative agency, etc. that received the transfer. In this case, "Article 4, paragraph (2)" in Article 10, paragraph (1) of the Incorporated Administrative Agency, etc. Information Disclosure Act is to be replaced with "Article 4, paragraph (2) of the Act on Access to Information Held by Administrative Organs (Act No. 42 of 1999)"; and the terms "the person who makes a disclosure request or the corporate documents," "pays respectively" and "a fee for the disclosure request or a disclosure" in Article 17, paragraph (1) of the Incorporated Administrative Agency, etc. Information Disclosure Act is to be replaced respectively with "the corporate documents," "pays" and "a disclosure".

(3)When a case has been transferred pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) and the incorporated administrative agency, etc. which has received the transfer implements the disclosure, the head of the administrative organ who has transferred the case must cooperate as necessary in the implementation of the disclosure.

Article 13(1)When information concerning a person other than the State, an incorporated administrative agency, etc., a local public entity, a local incorporated administrative agency and the disclosure requester (hereinafter referred to as a "third party" in this Article, Article 19, paragraph (2), and Article 20, paragraph (1)) is recorded in the administrative documents pertaining to a disclosure request, the head of an administrative organ, when making disclosure decisions, etc., may notify the third party pertaining to the information of the indication of the administrative documents pertaining to the disclosure request and other matters designated by Cabinet Order, and may grant them an opportunity to submit a written opinion.

(2)In the cases that fall under any of the following items, before making a disclosure decision, the head of an administrative organ must notify the third party in writing of the indication of the administrative documents pertaining to the disclosure request and other matters designated by Cabinet Order, and must grant them an opportunity to submit a written opinion; provided, however, that this does not apply to cases where the third party's location is unknown.

(3)In the case that the third party who was granted an opportunity to submit a written opinion pursuant to the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs submits a written opinion manifesting the intention of opposition to disclosure of the administrative documents concerned, the head of the administrative organ, when making a disclosure decision, must allow at least two weeks between the day of the disclosure decision and the day that the disclosure will be implemented. In this case, upon making the disclosure decision, the head of the administrative organ must immediately notify the third party who submitted the written opinion (referred to as a "written opposition opinion" in Article 19) in writing to the effect that the disclosure decision was made, the grounds for its decision, and the date of implementation of the disclosure.

Article 14(1)The disclosure of administrative documents is implemented by inspection or by the delivery of copies for documents or pictures, and for electronic or magnetic records by methods designated by Cabinet Order by taking into consideration such matters as the type of the record and the state of development of information technology; provided, however, that when disclosure of an administrative document is to be implemented by the inspection method, if the head of an administrative organ finds that the inspection is likely to hinder the preservation of administrative documents, or when there are other reasonable grounds, a copy of the documents or pictures may be provided for inspection.

(2)The person who will obtain disclosure of administrative documents based upon a disclosure decision, must report their desired method of implementation of disclosure and other matters designated by Cabinet Order to the head of the administrative organ who has made the disclosure decision, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Order.

(3)The report pursuant to the provision of the preceding paragraph must be made within thirty days from the date of the notice prescribed in Article 9, paragraph (1); provided, however, that this does not apply when there are reasonable grounds for being unable to make the report within this period of time.

(4)The person who has obtained disclosure of administrative documents based upon a disclosure decision may, within thirty days from the date of obtaining the first disclosure, report to the head of the administrative organ about the intention to obtain further disclosure. In this case, the proviso of the preceding paragraph applies mutatis mutandis.

Article 15(1)In the case that, pursuant to the provisions of other laws and regulations, administrative documents pertaining to a disclosure request are to be disclosed to any person by the same method prescribed in the main clause of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article (when the period of time for disclosure is provided for, limited to within that period of time), notwithstanding the provisions of the main clause of that paragraph, the head of the administrative organ does not disclose those administrative documents by that same method; provided, however, that this does not apply when there is a provision in other laws and regulations to the effect that disclosure is not to be implemented in certain cases.

(2)When the disclosure method designated by the provisions of other laws and regulations is public inspection, the preceding paragraph is applied by deeming the public inspection to be the inspection set forth in the main clause of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article.

Article 16(1)The person who makes a disclosure request or the person who obtains the disclosure of administrative documents must, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Order, pay a fee pertaining to the disclosure request for an amount specified within the scope of actual costs prescribed by Cabinet Order, or a fee pertaining to the implementation of disclosure, respectively.

(2)When setting the amount of the fee set forth in the preceding paragraph, consideration must be given to make the amount as affordable as possible.

(3)The head of an administrative organ may, when they find that there is economic hardship or other special grounds, grant a reduction of or an exemption from the fee set forth in paragraph (1), pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Order.

Article 17The head of an administrative organ, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Order (in the case of organs under the jurisdiction of the Cabinet and the Board of Audit, orders by those organs), may delegate to an employee of that administrative organ the authority or affairs prescribed in this Chapter.

Article 18(1)The provisions of Article 9, Article 17, Article 24, Chapter II, Sections 3 and 4, and Article 50, paragraph (2) of the Administrative Complaint Review Act (Act No. 68 of 2014) do not apply to a request for review of a disclosure decision, etc. or of any inaction related to a disclosure request.

(2)With regard to the application of the provisions in Chapter II of the Administrative Complaint Review Act to a request for review of a disclosure decision, etc. or of any inaction related to a disclosure request, the wording "a person who has been designated pursuant to the provisions of Article 9, paragraph (1) (referred to as a "review officer")" in Article 11, paragraph (2) of the same Act is deemed to be replaced with "an administrative agency to which a request for review has been filed pursuant to the provisions in Article 4 (including Cabinet Order issued pursuant to Article 20, paragraph (2) of the Act on Access to Information Held by Administrative Organs (Act No. 42 of 1999)) (including an administrative agency that has taken over documents and articles pursuant to the provisions in Article 14; hereinafter referred to as a "reviewing agency")"; the term "review officer" in Article 13, paragraphs (1) and (2) of the same Act is deemed to be replaced with "reviewing agency"; the wording "has been filed or a written opinion to suggest the necessity to order a stay of execution as prescribed in Article 40 has been submitted by a review officer" in Article 25, paragraph (7) of the same Act is deemed to be replaced with "has been filed"; the wording "Administrative Complaint Review Board, etc." in Article 44 of the same Act is deemed to be replaced with "Information Disclosure and Personal Information Protection Review Board (or a review board separately provided for by laws if the head of the Board of Audit is the reviewing agency; the same applies in Article 50, paragraph (1), item (iv))"; in the same Article, the wording "has received a report to its consultation from the Administrative Complaint Review Board, etc. (or when a review officer's written opinion has been submitted in the case where the consultation pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article is not necessary (excluding the cases falling under item (ii) or (iii) of the relevant paragraph), or when deliberations prescribed in item (ii) or (iii) of the relevant paragraph have been held in the cases falling under item (ii) or (iii) of the relevant paragraph)" is deemed to be replaced with "has received a report to its consultation from the Administrative Complaint Review Board, etc."; and the wording "the review officer's written opinion or the written report from the Administrative Complaint Review Board, etc. or the Council, etc." in Article 50, paragraph (1), item (iv) of the same Act is deemed to be replaced with "the Information Disclosure and Personal Information Protection Review Board."

Article 19(1)When there is a request for review of a disclosure decision, etc. or of any inaction related to a disclosure request, the head of the administrative organ who is expected to make an administrative determination on the request for review, except the cases that fall under any of the following items, must consult the Information Disclosure and Personal Information Protection Review Board (when the head of the administrative organ who is expected to make an administrative determination on the request for review is the head of the Board of Audit, a review board separately provided for by laws).

(2)The head of an administrative organ who has made a consultation pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph must notify the following persons to the effect that a consultation was made.

Article 20(1)The provisions of Article 13, paragraph (3), apply mutatis mutandis to the cases in which the administrative determination falls under any of the following items.

(2)With regard to a request for review of a disclosure decision, etc. or of any inaction related to a disclosure request, special provisions for the provisions of Article 4 of the Administrative Complaint Review Act may be established pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Order

Article 21(1)In cases where a lawsuit demanding the rescission of a disclosure decision, etc. or the rescission of an administrative determination regarding a request for review of a disclosure decision, etc. or of any inaction related to a disclosure request (referred to as an "information disclosure lawsuit" in the following paragraph and in paragraph (2) of the Supplementary Provisions) is brought to the specified court with jurisdiction prescribed in the provisions of Article 12, paragraph (4) of the Administrative Case Litigation Act (Act No. 139 of 1962), if, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 12, paragraph (5) of the same Act, an action for judicial review (meaning an action for judicial review prescribed in Article 3, paragraph (1) in the same Act; the same applies in the following paragraph) on a disclosure decision etc. or on an administrative determination regarding a request for review of a disclosure decision etc. or of any inaction related to a disclosure request with regard to the same, the same type of or similar administrative documents is pending in another court, the specified court with jurisdiction may, when it finds it reasonable in consideration of the address or location of the party, the address of witness who is to be examined, commonality of the points at issue or the evidence, and other circumstances, transfer the whole lawsuit or a part of the lawsuit to that other court or a court prescribed in Article 12, paragraphs (1) to (3) of the same Act, in response to a request or by its authority.

(2)The provisions of the preceding paragraph apply mutatis mutandis to the cases where an action for judicial review on a disclosure decision etc. or on an administrative determination regarding a request for review of the disclosure decision etc. or of any inaction related to the disclosure request, other than an information disclosure lawsuit, is brought to the specified court with jurisdiction prescribed in Article 12, paragraph (4) of the Administrative Case Litigation Act pursuant to the provisions of the same paragraph.

Article 22(1)In order to allow a person who intends to make a disclosure request to easily and appropriately make the request, the head of administrative organs is to provide information that contributes to specifying the administrative documents held by the administrative organs and take other appropriate measures that take into account the convenience of the person intending to make the disclosure request, beyond what is provided for in Article 7, paragraph (2) of the Public Records and Archives Management Act.

(2)The Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications is to establish comprehensive information centers concerning disclosure requests for ensuring the smooth implementation of this Act.

Article 23(1)The Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications may ask for a report on the state of enforcement of this Act from the head of administrative organs.

(2)Every fiscal year, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications is to compile the reports set forth in the preceding paragraph, and publicly announces an outline thereof.

Article 24In order to comprehensively promote disclosure of the information it holds, the Government is to endeavor to enhance measures concerned with the provision of information held by administrative organs, so that the information held by administrative organs are announced to the citizens in a timely and appropriate manner.

Article 25In accordance with the purport of this Act, local public entities must endeavor to formulate and implement measures necessary for the disclosure of the information that they hold.

Article 26Beyond what is provided for in this Act, Cabinet Order prescribes necessary matters concerning implementation of this Act.