Article 1The purpose of this Act, based on the spirit of the Constitution of Japan and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, aiming at realization of a society where all children and young people, who lead the society of the next generation, can build the foundations for the lifelong development of personality and equally thrive as independent individuals, where the rights of children and young people are protected regardless of physical and mental conditions, the environments surrounding them, etc., and where they can live happy lives into the future and to enable society as a whole to engage in child-related measures by establishing fundamental principles, clarifying the responsibilities of the national government, etc. and setting basic matters for child-related measures as well as establishing the Council for the Promotion of Child-Related Measures, to comprehensively promote these measures.

Article 2 (1)The term "child" as used in this Act means a person who is in the process of physical and mental development.

(2)The term "child-related measures" as used in this Act means the following measures and other measures for children, and measures that should be implemented in an integrated manner:

Article 3 (1)Child-related measures must be implemented based on the following basic principles:

Article 4The national government is responsible for comprehensively formulating and implementing child-related measures in accordance with the basic principles referred to in the preceding Article (simply referred to below as the "basic principles").

Article 5In accordance with the basic principles, local governments are responsible for formulating and implementing child-related measures according to the circumstances of children within their areas, in coordination with the national government and other local governments.

Article 6In accordance with the basic principles, an employer is to endeavor to develop the necessary employment environment so that the working and family lives of workers employed are thereby enriched.

Article 7In accordance with the basic principles, people in Japan are to endeavor to deepen their interest and understanding of child-related measures and to cooperate with child-related measures implemented by the national government or local governments.

Article 8 (1)Every year, the government must submit to the Diet a report on the situation surrounding children in Japan and the implementation status of child-related measures implemented by the government, and publicize the report.

(2)The report referred to in the preceding paragraph must include the following matters:

Article 9 (1)The government must establish an outline concerning child-related measures (referred to below as the "General Principles for Child-Related Measures") to comprehensively promote child-related measures.

(2)The General Principles for Child-Related Measures is to provide for the following matters:

(3)The General Principles for Child-Related Measures must include the following matters:

(4)regarding the child-related measures specified in the General Principles for Child-Related Measures, the specific goals of the child-related measures and the period for their achievement are to be specified as a general rule.

(5)The Prime Minister must seek a cabinet decision on the draft of the General Principles for Child-Related Measures.

(6)When a cabinet decision is made under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Prime Minister must publicize the General Principles for Child-Related Measures without delay.

(7)The provisions of the preceding two paragraphs apply mutatis mutandis to changes to the General Principles for Child-Related Measures .

Article 10 (1)Prefectural governments are to endeavor to establish plans concerning child-related measures in their own prefectures (referred to below as the "Prefectural Plan for Children" in this Article) by taking into consideration the General Principles for Child-Related Measures.

(2)Municipalities are to endeavor to establish plans for child-related measures in their own municipalities (referred to below as the "Municipal Plan for Children" in this Article) by taking into consideration the General Principles for Child-Related Measures (and also a Prefectural Plan for Children, if it has already been established).

(3)When a prefectural or municipal government has formulated, or changed a Prefectural Plan for Children or Municipal Plan for Children, they must be publicized without delay.

(4)A Prefectural Plan for Children may be prepared as an integrated part of a Prefectural Plan for Children and Young People prescribed in Article 9, paragraph (1) of the Act on Promotion of Development and Support for Children and Young People, a prefectural plan referred to in Article 10, paragraph (1) of the Act on the Promotion of Policy on Child Poverty, or any other plan formulated by a prefectural government pursuant to the provisions of laws and regulations and providing for matters concerning child-related measures.

(5)A Municipal Plan for Children may be prepared as an integrated part of a Municipal Plan for Children and Young People prescribed in Article 9, paragraph (2) of the Act on Promotion of Development and Support for Children and Young People, a municipal plan under Article 10, paragraph (2) of the Act on the Promotion of Policy on Child Poverty, or any other plan formulated by municipalities pursuant to laws and regulations and providing for matters concerning child-related measures.

Article 11The national government and local governments are to take necessary measures to reflect the views of the children, or persons who take care of children, and other related persons subject to the child-related measures, when formulating, implementing, and evaluating the child-related measures.

Article 12The national government is to take necessary measures, such as the development of a system for providing support in a comprehensive and integrated manner, to ensure that the support related to child-related measures is provided continuously regardless of the reasons why the support is needed, the relevant bodies that provide the support, the age of the person subject to the support or the region where the person resides, etc.

Article 13 (1)The national government must endeavor to ensure organic coordination among relevant bodies that perform services related to medical care, health, welfare, education, medical treatment and education, etc., so that child-related measures are implemented appropriately and smoothly.

(2)The prefectural and municipal governments must endeavor to ensure organic coordination among the relevant bodies that perform the operations referred to in the preceding paragraph and the private organizations that provide support for children in the community so that child-related measures are implemented appropriately and smoothly.

(3)The prefectural or municipal governments may organize councils to facilitate consultation, liaison and coordination related to the implementation of affairs related to child-related measures in order to ensure the organic coordination referred to in the preceding paragraph.

(4)The Council referred to in the preceding paragraph is composed of the relevant bodies and private organizations referred to in paragraph (2) and other persons that the prefectural or municipal governments finds necessary.

Article 14 (1)To contribute to ensuring the organic coordination stated in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, the national government is to take necessary measures, including utilizing information and communications technology to promote the sharing of information that contributes to the support for children conducted by the relevant bodies stated in that paragraph, while ensuring the proper handling of personal information.

(2)To contribute to ensuring the organic coordination referred to in paragraph (2) of the preceding Article, while ensuring the proper handling of personal information, the prefectural and municipal governments are to endeavor to take necessary measures, including utilizing information and communications technology to promote the sharing of information that contributes to the support for children conducted by the relevant bodies and private organizations referred to in that paragraph.

Article 15The national government is to endeavor to publicize the purport and content of this Act and the Convention on the Rights of the Child to the public through public relations activities, etc., and to gain their understanding.

Article 16Pursuant to the provisions of the General Principles for Child-Related Measures, the government must endeavor to further enhance the child-related measures, including wide-ranging development of child-related measures, and take financial and other measures necessary for their implementation.

Article 17 (1)The Children and Families Agency is to establish a special body; the Council for the Promotion of Child-Related Measures (referred to below as the "Council").

(2)The Council takes charge of the following affairs:

(3)When drafting the General Principles for Child-Related Measures pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Council is to take necessary measures to reflect the views of children and persons who takes care of children, person with relevant expertise, private organizations that provide support for children in the community, and other related persons.

Article 18 (1)The Council is composed of a chairperson and council members.

(2)The Prime Minister serves as the chairperson.

(3)The following persons serve as council members:

Article 19 (1)If the Council finds it necessary to conduct the affairs under its jurisdiction, it may request the head of the relevant administrative bodies to submit materials, express opinions, give explanations, and provide other necessary cooperation.

(2)If the Council finds it particularly necessary to conduct the affairs under its jurisdiction, it may request necessary cooperation from persons other than those prescribed in the preceding paragraph.

Article 20In addition to what is provided for in the preceding three Articles, necessary matters concerning the organization and operation of the Council are to be specified by Cabinet Order.