Chapter IV Handling of Seeds of the Cannabis Plant

When transferring seeds of the Cannabis plant, a Cannabis plant cultivator must treat those seeds so that they do not germinate, by the method prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; provided, however, that this does not apply when transferring those seeds to another Cannabis plant cultivator or in other cases prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

①Seeds not treated against germination must not be imported; provided, however, that this does not apply if the case falls under any of the following items and the permission of the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare has been obtained as provided by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare:

②A person who has obtained the permission referred to in the proviso to the preceding paragraph (limited to that pertaining to item (ii) of that paragraph; the same applies in the following paragraph) must, within three months from the day on which the person imported the seeds not treated against germination, treat them by the method prescribed in that item.

③The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare may refuse to give the permission if three years have not passed since the day on which a person seeking the permission under the proviso to paragraph (1) was sentenced to a punishment for violating the provisions of the preceding paragraph and finished serving the sentence or ceased to be subject to its execution.

Seeds of the Cannabis plant that have been treated by the method prescribed in Article 18 must not be imported by any person other than a person who has received from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, as provided by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, a certificate to the effect that the seeds of the Cannabis plant have undergone that treatment.

The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare may make the necessary disposition of seeds of the Cannabis plant that have become a part of the national treasury pursuant to the provisions of laws and regulations.

①The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare may, notwithstanding the provisions of this Act, import or receive seeds of the Cannabis plant for the purpose of crime lab investigation related to the Cannabis plant.

②The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare is to deliver the seeds of the Cannabis plant imported or received pursuant to the provisions in the preceding paragraph to the organizations of the national government or of a prefecture responsible for the crime lab investigation related to the Cannabis plant.

③An official who works for an organization of the preceding paragraph may use or cultivate the seeds of the Cannabis plant that the organization has received from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare pursuant to the provisions of that paragraph, for crime lab investigations related to the Cannabis plant.

④The head of an organization who receives the seeds of the Cannabis plant delivered by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare pursuant to the provisions in paragraph (2) must keep an accounting book and state the name and quantity of seeds of the Cannabis plant used in crime lab investigation related to the Cannabis plant, the respective date and other information specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in it.

In the case where the same person holds licenses as a Cannabis plant cultivator in two or more capacities, the person is deemed to be a separate person for each capacity, for the purpose of applying the provisions of this Act concerning the transfer and receipt of seeds not treated against germination.