| The Cabinet Law (Law No.5 of 1947, as Amended) |
| Article 1. | (1) | The Cabinet shall perform functions provided for in Article 73 and other articles of the Constitution of Japan according to the principle of popular sovereignty. |
| (2) | The Cabinet, in exercise of executive power, shall be collectively responsible to the Diet, which comprises the representatives of the entire nation. |
| Article 2. | (1) | The Cabinet shall be composed of the Prime Minister, who shall be its head, and Ministers of State appointed by the Prime Minister. |
| (2) | The number of Ministers of State provided in the preceding paragraph shall be not more than fourteen. However, if required by special circumstances, the number may be increased by not more than three, to make the total not more than seventeen. |
| Article 3. | (1) | The Ministers shall divide among themselves administrative affairs and be in charge of their respective share thereof as the competent Minister, as provided for by other law. |
| (2) | The provision of the preceding paragraph does not preclude the appointment of Ministers who have no specific share of administrative affairs under their charge. |
| Article 4. | (1) | The Cabinet shall perform its functions through Cabinet Meetings. |
| (2) | The Prime Minister shall preside over Cabinet Meetings. Upon such occasion, the Prime Minister may propose items including the basic principals concerning the important policies of the Cabinet. |
| (3) | Each Minister may submit to the Prime Minister any question or matter and ask for a Cabinet Meeting therefore. |
| Article 5. | The Prime Minister, representing the Cabinet, shall submit Cabinet bills, budgets and other proposals to the Diet, and shall report to the Diet on general national affairs and foreign relations. |
| Article 6. | The Prime Minister shall exercise control and supervision over the administrative branches in accordance with the policies to be decided upon at Cabinet Meetings. |
| Article 7. | The Prime Minister shall, following consultation at Cabinet Meetings, decide on any point of doubt relating to jurisdiction between the competent Ministers. |
| Article 8. | The Prime Minister may suspend the official measures or orders of any administrative office, pending action by the Cabinet. |
| Article 9. | In case the Prime Minister is prevented from discharging his functions, or the post of the Prime Minister is vacant, the Minister of State designated by him in advance shall perform temporarily the functions of the Prime Minister. |
| Article 10. | In case a competent Minister of State is prevented from discharging his functions, or the post of such Minister is vacant, the Prime Minister, or the Minister of State designated by him, shall perform temporarily the functions of the said competent Minister of State. |
| Article 11. | No provisions imposing obligations or restricting rights can be made in a Cabinet Order unless authorized by law. |
| Article 12. | (1) | There shall be set up in the Cabinet a Secretariat. |
| (2) | The Cabinet Secretariat shall be in charge of the following affairs: |
| | i) arrangement of the agenda of Cabinet Meetings and other general affairs of the Cabinet; |
| | ii) planning and framing related to the basic principals concerning the important policies of the Cabinet, and affairs related to the overall coordination; |
| | iii) planning and framing necessary for important matters for decision by Cabinet Meetings, and affairs related to the overall coordination; |
| | iv) planning and framing necessary for integration of the policies of administrative offices, and affairs related to the overall coordination; |
| | v) besides the matters mentioned in the preceding three subparagraphs, planning and framing related to the policies of administrative offices, which are necessary for keeping integration of such policies, and affairs related to the overall coordination; and |
| | vi) affairs related to the collection and research of intelligence concerning important policies of the Cabinet. |
| (3) | Besides the matters mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the Cabinet Secretariat shall assist the work of the Cabinet as provided for by a Cabinet Order. |
| (4) | Besides the Secretariat there shall be set up in the Cabinet necessary offices which shall assist the work of the Cabinet as provided for by law. |
| Article 13. | (1) | The Cabinet Secretariat shall have one Chief Cabinet Secretary. |
| (2) | The post of the Chief Cabinet Secretary shall be filled by a Minister of State. |
| (3) | The Chief Cabinet Secretary shall preside over the affairs of the Cabinet Secretariat and shall control and supervise the personnel thereof in regard to the performance of their duties. |
| Article 14. | (1) | The Cabinet Secretariat shall have three Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries. |
| (2) | Appointment and dismissal of the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries are authenticated by the Emperor. |
| (3) | The Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries shall assist the Chief Cabinet Secretary, be in charge of the affairs of the Cabinet Secretariat by order and, under prior provisions of the Chief Cabinet Secretary, perform the function of the Chief Cabinet Secretary on his behalf in the absence of the Chief Cabinet Secretary. |
| Article 15. | (1) | The Cabinet Secretariat shall have one Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management. |
| (2) | The Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management shall assist the Chief Cabinet Secretary and the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries and shall preside over the affairs with regard to crisis management (i.e. response to an emergency that has caused, or is likely to cause, material damage to the lives, persons or property of citizens, or the prevention of occurrence of such emergencies) by order among the affairs of the Cabinet Secretariat (expect for those of the national defense). |
| (3) | Appointment and dismissal of the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management shall be effected by the Cabinet upon request of the Prime Minister. |
| (4) | The provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 96, paragraph 1 of Article 98, Article 99 and paragraph 1 and 2 of Article 100 of the National Public Service Law (Law No.120 of 1947) shall apply correspondingly to the duties of the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management. |
| (5) | The Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management, during their tenure of office, shall not, without the permission of the Prime Minister, engage in other occupation with pay, nor do business aiming for financial benefit, nor carry on any other profit-making enterprise. |
| Article 16. | (1) | The Cabinet Secretariat shall have three Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretaries. |
| (2) | The Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretaries shall assist the Chief Cabinet Secretary, the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries and the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management, and shall administer the affairs of the Cabinet Secretariat (except for those provided in Paragraph 2, Subparagraph i of Article 12 and those attributed to the jurisdiction of the Cabinet Public Relations Secretary and the Director of Cabinet Intelligence). |
| (3) | The provisions of Paragraphs 3 to 5 of the preceding Article shall apply correspondingly to the Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretaries. |
| Article 17. | (1) | The Cabinet Secretariat shall have one Cabinet Public Relations Secretary. |
| (2) | The Cabinet Public Relations Secretary shall assist the Chief Cabinet Secretary, the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries and the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management, and shall carry on public relations matters necessary for affairs provided in Paragraph 2, Subparagraphs ii through v of Article 12, as well as administer public relations affairs among those provided in the same subparagraphs. |
| (3) | The provisions of Paragraphs 3 to 5 of Article 15 shall apply correspondingly to the Cabinet Public Relations Secretary. |
| Article 18. | (1) | The Cabinet Secretariat shall have one Director of Cabinet Intelligence. |
| (2) | The Director of Cabinet Intelligence shall assist the Chief Cabinet Secretary, the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries and the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management, and shall administer affairs provided in Paragraph 2, Subparagraph vi of Article 12. |
| (3) | The provisions of Paragraphs 3 to 5 of Article 15 shall apply correspondingly to the Director of Cabinet Intelligence. |
| Article 19. | (1) | The Cabinet Secretariat may have not more than five Special Advisors to the Prime Minister. |
| (2) | The Special Advisors to the Prime Minister shall, concerning important policies of the Cabinet, advise the Prime Minister and, by order of the Prime Minister, make representations to the Prime Minister. |
| (3) | The Special Advisors to the Prime Minister may be part-time employees. |
| (4) | The provisions of Paragraphs 3 and 4 of Article 15, shall apply correspondingly to the Special Advisors to the Prime Minister, and the provisions of Paragraph 5 of the same Article shall apply correspondingly to full-time Special Advisors to the Prime Minister. |
| Article 20. | (1) | The Cabinet Secretariat shall have Executive Secretaries to the Prime Minister and Executive Secretaries each assigned to the Ministers of State other than the Prime Minister and the competent Ministers. |
| (2) | The number of Executive Secretaries mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall be defined in a Cabinet Order. |
| (3) | The Executive Secretaries mentioned in paragraph (1) hereof shall, by order of the Prime Minister or of the Minister of the State to whom they are respectively assigned, take charge of confidential matters or shall assist temporarily in the affairs of the administrative organs concerned including the Cabinet Secretariat. |
| Article 21. | (1) | The Cabinet Secretariat shall have Cabinet Officials and other necessary personnel. |
| (2) | The Cabinet Officials shall, by order, arrange the affairs of the Cabinet Secretariat. |
| Article 22. | The internal organization necessary for the discharge of the affairs coming under the charge of the Cabinet Secretariat shall be prescribed by a Cabinet Order. |
| Article 23. | So far as the affairs coming under the jurisdiction of the Cabinet Secretariat are concerned, the competent Minister as referred to in this Law shall be the Prime Minister. |
