Article 1The purpose of this Act is to provide for matters concerning the name, purpose, scope of operations, etc. of the Japan Science and Technology Agency, Research and Development Agency.

Article 2(1)The term "Advanced Technology" as used in this Act means the results of research and development (hereinafter referred to as "R&D") concerning science and technology (excluding that which exclusively concerns humanities; the same applies in the following paragraph, paragraph (3) and Article 18) that are significant for the national economy and have yet to be put into commercial use.

(2)The term "Fundamental R&D" as used in this Act means R&D that falls under either of the following items:

(3)The term "Commercialization Development" as used in this Act means to implement the results of R&D concerning science and technology on a commercial scale so as to put them into commercial use.

(4)The term "Scientific and Technological Information" as used in this Act means information concerning science and technology.

Article 3The name of the incorporated administrative agency provided for in Article 2, paragraph (1) of the Act on General Rules for Incorporated Administrative Agencies (Act No. 103 of 1999; hereinafter referred to as the "Act on General Rules") that is to be established as provided for by this Act and the Act on General Rules is the Japan Science and Technology Agency, National Research and Development Agency.

Article 4The Japan Science and Technology Agency, National Research and Development Agency (hereinafter referred to as the "Agency") aims to advance science and technology by comprehensively performing operations such as basic research on science and technology (excluding that which solely concerns the humanities) that will contribute to the creation of Advanced Technology, fundamental R&D, and commercialization development of advanced technology, as well as operations concerning the distribution of Scientific and Technological Information as the central agency concerning Scientific and Technological Information in Japan, and other operations concerning infrastructure development for the purpose of promoting science and technology.

Article 5The Agency is to locate its principal office in Saitama Prefecture.

Article 6(1)The stated capital of the Agency is to be the total amount of the contributions that are considered to have been made by the government and persons other than the government pursuant to the provisions of Article 3, paragraphs (1), (2) and (5) of the Supplementary Provisions.

(2)When necessary, the Agency may increase its stated capital with the permission of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

(3)The government may make contributions to the Agency up to an amount specified in the budget when the Agency increases its stated capital pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

(4)When the government makes contributions to the Agency, it may contribute land, buildings or other fixtures on land (hereinafter referred to as "Land, etc." in this Article).

(5)The value of the Land, etc. contributed pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph is to be the value evaluated by evaluation committee members on the basis of the market value on the date of the contribution.

(6)The evaluation committee members referred to in the preceding paragraph and other necessary matters concerning evaluation are specified by Cabinet Order.

(7)When the government and persons other than the government intend to make contributions to the Agency with the permission provided for in paragraph (2), they are to present the amount (where they intend to make contributions in the form of Land, etc., the L and, etc.) to be allocated to necessary funds for the operations listed in Article 18, item (v) pertaining to documents (including operations incidental thereto) that are specified by Cabinet Order (hereinafter referred to as "Operations to Provide Document Information") and other operations, respectively.

Article 7(1)The Agency is to issue investment securities for contributions received.

(2)The investment securities are to be registered.

(3)In addition to what is provided for in the preceding paragraph, necessary matters concerning investment securities are specified by Cabinet Order.

Article 8(1)The Agency may not return equity interests to contributors. except when it makes payment to the national treasury pursuant to the provisions of Article 46-2, paragraph (1) or (2) of the Act on General Rules or returns equity interest pursuant to the provisions of Article 46-3, paragraph (3) of the Act on General Rules.

(2)The Agency may neither acquire equity interests of contributors nor receive them as the subject of a pledge.

Article 9No person other than the Agency may use the name of the "科学技術振興機構"(with a pronunciation of "kagaku-gijyutu-shinkou-kikou"and with a literal meaning of " Japan Science and Technology Agency").

Article 10(1)The Agency is to have, as its officers, one president as its head and two auditors.

(2)The Agency may have up to four directors as its officers.

Article 11(1)Directors, under the direction of the president, are to administer the operations of the Agency, assisting the president.

(2)An officer provided for by the individual Acts provided in Article 19, paragraph (2) of the Act on General Rules is to be a director; provided, however, that when there are no directors, such officer is to be an auditor.

(3)In the case referred to in the proviso to the preceding paragraph, an auditor who represents or performs the duties of the president pursuant to the provisions of Article 19, paragraph (2) of the Act on General Rules must not perform the duties as an auditor at the same time.

Article 12The term of office of the president is two years.

Article 13Public officers in the field of education or research specified by Cabinet Order (excluding persons falling under either of the items of the following Article) may become part-time directors or auditors, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 22 of the Act on General Rules.

Article 14(1)Beyond what is provided for in Article 22 of the Act on General Rules, persons falling under either of the following items may not become officers.

A person engaging in the manufacture or sale of goods or undertaking contract work and having close business connections with the Agency, or when such person is a corporation, an officer thereof (including a person who has equal or greater authority or controlling power, irrespective of the person's title).

(2)An officer of any association of business operators mentioned in the preceding item (including a person who has equal or greater authority or controlling power, irrespective of the person's title).

Article 15(1)With regard to the application of the provisions of Article 23, paragraph (1) of the Act on General Rules concerning the dismissal of the president of the Agency, the term "the preceding Article" in the paragraph is deemed to be replaced with "the preceding Article and Article 14 of the Act on Japan Science and Technology Agency, National Research and Development Agency."

(2)With regard to the application of the provisions of Article 23, paragraph (1) of the Act on General Rules concerning the dismissal of directors and auditors of the Agency, the term "the preceding Article" in the paragraph is deemed to be replaced with "the preceding Article and Article 13 and Article 14 of the Act on Japan Science and Technology Agency, National Research and Development Agency."

Article 16Officers and employees of the Agency must not divulge or misappropriate any secret that has come to their knowledge in the course of their work related to the operations listed in items (i) to (iv), (vi), and (vii) of Article 18. The same applies even after they have left their position.

Article 17Officers and employees of the Agency are deemed to be employees engaged in public service pursuant to laws and regulations, with regard to the application of the Penal Code (Act No. 45 of 1907) and other penal provisions.

Article 18The Agency is to perform the following operations to attain the objective stated in Article 4:

Article 19The Agency must separate the accounting related to the Operations to Provide Document Information from other accounting, and prepare and separate a special account (hereinafter referred to as the "Account for the Operations to Provide Document Information").

Article 20(1)When the Agency has settled a general account other than the Account for the Operations to Provide Document Information (hereinafter referred to as the "General Account") pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) of Article 44 of the Act on General Rules for the final business year of the period for the mid-term target provided for in Article 29, paragraph (2), item (i) of the Act on General Rules (hereinafter referred to as the "term for the mid-term target" in this paragraph), and there remains a reserve fund under Article 44, paragraph (1) of the Act, the Agency may allocate the portion of the amount equivalent to the amount of the reserve fund that has been approved by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to the operations provided for in Article 18 (excluding the Operations to Provide Document Information) during the next term for the mid-term target, in accordance with the mid-term plan approved as provided for in Article 30, paragraph (1) of the Act on General Rules for that next term for the mid-term target (when having obtained permission for a change pursuant to the provisions of the second sentence of the paragraph, in accordance with the revised plan).

(2)When the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology intends to grant approval pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the minister must consult with the Minister of Finance.

(3)When any surplus remains after deducting the amount approved pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) from the amount equivalent to the amount of the reserve fund provided for in the paragraph, the Agency must pay the remaining surplus to the national treasury.

(4)With regard to the application of the provisions of the proviso to Article 44, paragraph (1) of the Act on General Rules in the account for the operations to provide document information, the phrase "if the remaining surplus is to be appropriated for the purpose set forth in paragraph (3) pursuant to the provisions of the paragraph" in the paragraph is deemed to be replaced with "if the Agency is to pay the amount calculated as specified by Cabinet Order to the national treasury or where the remaining surplus is to be allocated for the purpose provided for in paragraph (3) pursuant to the provisions of the paragraph."

(5)The provisions of paragraphs (1) to (3) apply mutatis mutandis to the disposition of a reserve fund in the account for the Operations to Provide Document Information.In this case, the phrase "Article 44, paragraph (1) of the Act on General Rules" in paragraph (1) is deemed to be replaced with "Article 44, paragraph (1) of the Act on General Rules as replaced pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (4)" and the phrase "the operations provided for in Article 18 (excluding the Operations to Provide Document Information)" in paragraph (1) is deemed to be replaced with "the Operations to Provide Document Information."

(6)Beyond what are provided for in the preceding paragraphs, the procedures for making payment and other necessary matters concerning the disposition of a reserve fund are specified by Cabinet Order.

Article 21The heads of relevant administrative organs are to cooperate with the Agency in the collection of Scientific and Technological Information to the extent possible.

Article 22(1)When the Agency has dissolved and has any residual assets after repaying all debts, it is to distribute a portion of the residual assets equivalent to the amount included in the account for the Operations to Provide Document Information to each contributor related to the Account for Operations to Provide Document Information, and a portion of the residual assets equivalent to the amount included in the general account to each contributor related to the General Account, in accordance with the amount of each contribution.

(2)The amount that may be distributed to each contributor pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph may not exceed the amount of each contribution.

(3)When residual assets still remain in the account for the Operations to Provide Document Information as a result of the distribution under paragraph (1), the residual assets are to be vested in the national treasury.

Article 23The competent minister, competent ministry, and ordinance of the competent ministry in the Act on General Rules applicable to the Agency are the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and Order of the that ministry, respectively.

Article 24Deleted.

Article 25The provisions of the National Public Officers' Housing Act (Act No. 117 of 1949) do not apply to the officers and employees of the Agency.

Article 26Any person who has violated the provisions of Article 16 is punished by imprisonment with required labor for not more than one year or a fine not exceeding 500,000 yen.

Article 27An officer of the Agency who commits any violation listed below is punished by a non-criminal fine of not more than 200,000 yen:

Article 28Any person who violates the provisions of Article 9 is punished by a non-criminal fine not exceeding 100,000 yen.