Article 1The purpose of this Act is, by taking measures for promoting public utilization of advanced large research facilities by persons engaged in testing, research and development (hereinafter referred to as the "researchers, etc.") concerning science and technology (excluding those pertaining only to humanities and social sciences; the same applies hereinafter) (hereinafter referred to as the "research, etc."), to strengthen the basis of the research, etc. as well as integrate various knowledge held by the researchers, etc. through exchange among institutions pertaining to the research, etc. and the researchers, etc., thereby contributing to the development of science and technology.

Article 2(1)The term "advanced large research facilities" as used in this Act means the large research facilities that are found inappropriate to be redundantly established in one national testing and research institution or independent administrative agency (meaning an independent administrative agency prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (1) of the Act for the General Rules for Incorporated Administrative Agencies (Act No. 103 of 1999)) engaged in the research, etc. due to requiring huge expenses and, with their incomparable functions in the field of advanced science and technology, the value of which is to be maximized to the fullest extent by being utilized for various research, etc. in a wide range of fields of science and technology.

(2)The term "specific advanced large research facilities" as used in this Act means the advanced large research facilities that fall under either of the following sub-items;

(3)The term "specific synchrotron radiation facilities" as used in this Act means the facilities for conducting the research, etc. utilizing highly-directional and high-intensity electromagnetic waves emitted from accelerated electrons or positrons (hereinafter referred to as the "synchrotron radiation"), established by the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (hereinafter referred to as "RIKEN"), specified by Order of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

(4)The term "specific high-speed computer facilities" as used in this Act means the facilities for conducting the research, etc. utilizing computers capable of performing highly advanced arithmetic processing (hereinafter referred to as the "supercomputers"), established by the RIKEN, specified by Order of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

(5)The term "shared facilities for synchrotron radiation" as used in this Act means the part of the specific synchrotron radiation facilities that is made available for public utilization by the researchers, etc.

(6)The term "dedicated facilities for synchrotron radiation" as used in this Act means the facilities established by any person other than the RIKEN and used for conducting the research, etc. utilizing the synchrotron radiation pertaining to the specific synchrotron radiation facilities.

Article 3For achieving the purpose of this Act, the government must endeavor to support persons engaged in the research, etc. utilizing the part of the specific advanced large research facilities that is made available for public utilization by the researchers, etc. or the dedicated facilities for synchrotron radiation (hereinafter referred to as the "research utilizing facilities"), advance research and studies concerning policies for promoting the research utilizing facilities, promote international exchanges that contribute to the promotion of the research utilizing facilities and take other necessary measures to promote public utilization of the specific advanced large research facilities.

Article 4(1)The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology must set forth the basic policy concerning the promotion of public utilization (hereinafter referred to as the "basic policy") for each of the specific advanced large research facilities listed in each item of Article 2, paragraph (2).

(2)The basic policy is to provide for the following matters:

(3)Beyond what is set forth in each item of the preceding paragraph, the matters concerning the research, etc. utilizing the dedicated facilities for synchrotron radiation as well as the establishment and use of the dedicated facilities for synchrotron radiation, are to be provided for in the basic policy pertaining to the specific synchrotron radiation facilities.

(4)The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology must make public announcement without delay when the Minister sets forth or changes the basic policy.

Article 5For achieving the purpose of this Act, the RIKEN, as an entity establishing the specific advanced large research facilities, is to undertake the business listed in the right-hand column of the following Table in accordance with the classification of the facilities listed in the left-hand column of the same Table, respectively.

Article 6(1)Pursuant to the Order of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the RIKEN, as an entity establishing the specific advanced large research facilities, is to prepare an implementation plan for the business listed in the right-hand column of the Table prescribed in the preceding Article in accordance with the classification of the facilities listed in the left-hand column of the same Table (excluding business that is considered not to be undertaken by the RIKEN pursuant to the provisions of Article 9, paragraph (1)), respectively, and obtain approval of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology each business year. The same applies when making changes to the implementation plan.

(2)The implementation plan referred to in the preceding paragraph must be established in line with the purport of the basic policy pertaining to the facilities.

Article 7When business of the RIKEN is performed pursuant to the provisions of Article 5, the term "this Act" in Article 24, item (i) of the Incorporated Administrative Agency Rikagaku Kenkyusho Act (Act No. 160 of 2002) is deemed to be replaced with "this Act or the Act on the Promotion of Public Utilization of the Specific Advanced Large Research Facilities."

Article 8(1)The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology may entrust a person registered by the Minister (hereinafter referred to as the "registered institution promoting use of facilities ") to perform all of the business listed in the following sub-items (or, if the registered institution for promoting use of facilities performs all of the business listed in the following sub-items in accordance with the classification of use of the specific advanced large research facilities specified by Order of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, that part of business) among the business that the RIKEN is to perform as an entity establishing the specific advanced large research facilities pursuant to the provisions of Article 5:

(2)The registration set forth in the preceding paragraph (hereinafter referred to as the "registration") is to be made upon an application filed by a person seeking to perform the user selection services and the usage support services (hereinafter referred to as the "usage promotion services") for each of the specific advanced large research facilities listed in each item of Article 2, paragraph (2).

Article 9(1)If the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology decides to entrust the registered institution for promoting use of facilities to perform the usage promotion services in whole or in part, pursuant to the provisions of the preceding Article, paragraph (1), the RIKEN is not to perform the services.

(2)If a registered institution promoting use of facilities performs the usage promotion services, the RIKEN and the registered institution promoting use of facilities must coordinate with each other so that the usage promotion services are performed smoothly.

Article 10A person that falls under any of the following items may not be registered:

Article 11(1)The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology must register a person that has applied for the registration pursuant to the provisions of Article 8, paragraph (2), if the applicant complies with all of the following requirements.In this case, the necessary procedures for the registration are specified by Order of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology:

(2)The registration is to be made by stating the following information in the register of the registered institution promoting use of facilities:

(3)If the registered institution promoting use of facilities seeks to change an information listed in item (ii) or (iv) of the preceding paragraph, it must notify the fact to the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology at least two weeks prior to the day the change is to be made.

Article 12A registered institution promoting use of facilities must obtain approval of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology when it seeks to use the part of the specific advanced large research facilities that is made available for public utilization by the researchers, etc. for the purpose of research and study of policies for promoting the research utilizing facilities or for other purposes.

Article 13The provisions of Article 6 apply mutatis mutandis to the cases where the registered institution promoting use of facilities performs the usage promotion services.In this case, the phrase "the RIKEN, as an entity establishing the specific advanced large research facilities, is to" in paragraph (1) of the same Article, is deemed to be replaced with "the registered institution promoting use of facilities is to" and the phrase "the business listed in the right-hand column of the Table in the preceding Article in accordance with the classification of the facilities listed in the left-hand column of the same Table (excluding the business that are considered not to be undertaken by the RIKEN pursuant to the provisions of Article 9, paragraph (1)), respectively," with "the usage promotion services."

Article 14(1)The registration loses its effect due to the expiration of the period unless it is renewed every five years.

(2)The provisions of Article 8, paragraph (2), Article 10 and Article 11, paragraphs (1) and (2) apply mutatis mutandis to the renewal of the registration set forth in the preceding paragraph.

Article 15(1)A registered institution promoting use of facilities must perform the usage promotion services without delay when required to do so by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, unless there are legitimate grounds.

(2)A registered institution promoting use of facilities must perform the usage promotion services in a fair manner and in a method complying with the standards specified by Order of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, according to the implementation plan prepared pursuant to the provisions of Article 6, paragraph (1) as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 13 following the deemed replacement of terms, and approved by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Article 16A registered institution promoting use of facilities, when making a selection under the provisions of Article 8, paragraph (1), item (i), must set up a selection committee consisting of persons with relevant expertise on the research utilizing facilities and hear the opinions of the committee.

Article 17(1)A registered institution promoting use of facilities, in performing the usage promotion services, must establish the rules concerning the services (hereinafter referred to as the "rules of service") and obtain approval of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology prior to the commencement of the services. The same applies when changes are to be made to the rules of service.

(2)The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology may order changes be made to the rules of service approved pursuant to the preceding paragraph when the Minister finds that the rules of service have become inappropriate for proper and steady performance of the usage promotion services.

(3)The matters to be stated in the rules of service are specified by Order of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Article 18A registered institution promoting use of facilities may not suspend or discontinue the usage promotion services in whole or in part, without obtaining permission of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Article 19(1)Within three months after the end of each business year, a registered institution promoting use of facilities must prepare an inventory of assets, balance sheet, profit and loss statement or income and expenditure account statement, and business report (including electronic or magnetic records (meaning the records made by an electronic form, a magnetic form or any other form not recognizable to human perception, which is used for information processing by computers; hereinafter the same applies in this Article) in cases where electronic or magnetic records are prepared in lieu of those documents; hereinafter referred to as the "financial statements, etc.") for the business year, submit them to the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and keep them at its office for five years.

(2)A person who seeks to conduct the research utilizing facilities or any other interested person may make the following requests to a registered institution promoting use of facilities at any time during the business hours of the registered institution promoting use of facilities; provided, however, that when making a request set forth in item (ii) or (iv), the person must pay the fees specified by the registered institution promoting use of facilities:

Article 20A registered institution promoting use of facilities, when performing its usage promotion services, must organize and maintain the accounting procedures pertaining to the usage promotion services separately from other accounting procedures.

Article 21The State may grant a registered institution promoting use of facilities subsidies in the amount corresponding to the whole or a part of the costs required for the usage promotion services, within the scope of the budget.

Article 22If a registered institution promoting use of facilities is a corporation, it must notify the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of any appointment or dismissal of its officers without delay.

Article 23A registered institution promoting use of facilities (or its officers in case of a corporation) or the staff members thereof who are engaged in the user selection services are deemed to be officials engaged in public duties pursuant to the laws and regulations, in terms of the application of the Criminal Code (Act No. 45 of 1907) and other penal provisions.

Article 24(1)To the extent necessary for the implementation of this Act, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology may require a registered institution promoting use of facilities to report the usage promotion services, or have their officials enter the office of a registered institution promoting use of facilities and inspect the situation of the usage promotion services or the books, documents or other objects, or to ask questions to the persons concerned.

(2)The officials who conduct an on-site inspection pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph must carry their identification cards and present them at the request of the persons concerned.

(3)The authority granted pursuant to paragraph (1) may not be interpreted as being granted for the purpose of criminal investigation.

Article 25The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, when they find that a registered institution promoting use of facilities has come to fail to comply with any of the items of Article 11, paragraph (1), may order the registered institution promoting use of facilities to take necessary measures in order to comply with the provisions.

Article 26The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, when they find that a registered institution promoting use of facilities is violating the provisions of Article 15, may order the registered institution promoting use of facilities to perform the usage promotion services or to take necessary measures for improving the methods of the usage promotion services.

Article 27The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology may rescind the registration or order suspension of the usage promotion services in whole or in part, for a specified period, if a registered institution promoting use of facilities falls under any of the following sub-items:

Article 28(1)The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology must give public notice in the official gazette in the following cases:

(2)The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology must give public notice of the following matters in advance when the Minister entrusts a registered institution promoting use of facilities to perform the usage promotion services pursuant to the provisions of Article 8, paragraph (1);

Article 29A person falling under either of the following items is punished by a fine of not more than three hundred thousand yen:

Article 30When the representative of a corporation or the agent, employee or other workers of a corporation or an individual has committed a violation set forth in the preceding Article with regard to the business of the corporation or individual, not only the offender but also the corporation or individual is punished by the penalty prescribed in the same Article.

Article 31A person who has failed to keep the financial statements, etc., has failed to enter the matters to be entered or has made false entries in the financial statements, etc. in violation of the provisions of Article 19, paragraph (1), or has refused a request made under each item of paragraph (2) of the same Article without legitimate grounds is punished by a civil fine of not more than two hundred thousand yen.