The insurers providing insurance (excluding insurance for specially-insured day laborers) are Japan Health Insurance Association and health insurance societies.

①Japan Health Insurance Association administers insurance for insured persons who are not members of a health insurance society (excluding specially-insured day laborers; the same applies hereinafter in the main provisions except for the following Section, Article 51-2, Article 63, paragraph (3), item (ii), Article 150, paragraph (1), Article 172, item (iii), and Chapters X and XI).

②Of the services relating to health insurance businesses provided by Japan Health Insurance Association pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the confirmation of acquisition and loss of eligibility to be insured, determination of standard monthly remuneration amount and standard bonus amount, collection of insurance premiums (excluding those from insured persons with optional and continued coverage), and operations incidental to these are conducted by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

A health insurance society administers insurance of the insured persons who are its members.

Persons who administers insurance for insured persons who are employed at two or more places of business at the same time are specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 5, paragraph (1) and the preceding Article.

①In order to provide health insurance services to insured persons who are not members of a health insurance society (hereinafter simply referred to as "insured persons"), Japan Health Insurance Association (hereinafter referred to as "JHIA") is established.

②JHIA provides the services listed below:

③Beyond the operations listed in the items of the preceding paragraph, JHIA is responsible for operations related to Mariners Insurance business pursuant to the provisions of the Mariners Insurance Act (excluding those conducted by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare pursuant to the provisions of the same Act), and operations related to the payment of young-old payments, etc. pursuant to the provisions of the Act on Assurance of Medical Care for Elderly People (hereinafter referred to as "young-old payments, etc."), aid for the old-old, contributions for administrative expenses related to the old-old, and contributions for administrative expenses related to childbirth and childcare pursuant to the provisions of the same Act (hereinafter referred to as "aid for the old-old, etc."), the payment pursuant to the provisions of the Long-Term Care Insurance Act (Act No. 123 of 1997) (hereinafter referred to as "long-term care payment"), contribution for securing medical care in the early phase of an epidemic, etc. pursuant to the provisions of the Act on the Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Medical Care for Patients with Infectious Diseases (Act No. 114 of 1998) (hereinafter referred to as "contribution for securing medical care in the early phase of an epidemic, etc."), and the children and child-rearing support levy pursuant to the provisions of the Act on Support for Children and Child-rearing (Act No. 65 of 2012) (hereinafter referred to as "children and child-rearing support levy").

When conducting the operations listed in paragraph (2), item (ii) of the preceding Article (limited to those related to healthcare services pursuant to the provisions of Chapter VI; referred to as "health services operations" in Article 7-29-2), JHIA must conduct them appropriately and effectively, taking into consideration the age, sex, state of health, and other circumstances of insured persons and their dependents.

JHIA is a corporation.

①JHIA establishes a principal office in Tokyo and secondary offices (hereinafter referred to as "branches") in each prefecture.

②JHIA's address is the location of its principal office.

The stated capital of JHIA is the amount contributed by the government pursuant to the provisions of Article 18, paragraph (2) of the Supplementary Provisions of the Act Partially Amending the Health Insurance Act, etc. (Act No. 83 of 2006; hereinafter referred to as "Amending Act").

①JHIA must specify the particulars listed below in its articles of incorporation:

②No alternation to the articles of incorporation referred to in the preceding paragraph (except those pertaining to matters specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) is effected without authorization by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

③When JHIA makes any amendment to the articles of incorporation with regard to matters specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare referred to in the preceding paragraph, it must notify the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of the amendment without delay.

④When JHIA is authorized for an amendment to the articles of incorporation referred to in paragraph (2) or makes any amendment to the articles of incorporation with regard to matters specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare referred to in the same paragraph, it must give publicly notice of the amendment without delay.

①JHIA must complete its registration as specified by Cabinet Order.

②The matters that must be registered pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph cannot be asserted against a third party until after they are registered.

No person other than JHIA may use the name "Japan Health Insurance Association".

JHIA has one president, not more than six directors, and two auditors as its officers.

①The president of JHIA represents JHIA and executes its operations.

②If the president is incapacitated or the position of president is vacant, another director appointed by the president in advance represents the president or performs the president's duties.

③The directors may assist the president in executing the operations of JHIA as determined by the president.

④An auditor audits the execution of business and the financial status of JHIA.

①The president and auditors are appointed by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

②The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, when intending to appoint the president pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, must hear the opinions of the Management Board in advance as provided for by Article 7-18, paragraph (1).

③The directors are appointed by the president.

④When the president appoints a director pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the president must notify the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of the appointment and publicize it without delay.

①The term of office for an officer is three years; however, the term for a substitute officer is the remaining term of the predecessor.

②An officer may be reappointed.

A government official or an official of a local public entity (excluding a part-time official) is ineligible to be an officer.

①When an officer appointed by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare or the president becomes a person who is ineligible to be an officer pursuant to the provisions of the preceding Article, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare or the president, respectively, must dismiss the officer.

②If an officer appointed by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare or the president falls under any of the following items or is otherwise found to be unfit to serve as an officer, the minister or the president, respectively, may dismiss the officer:

③If the president dismisses a director pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the president must notify the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of the dismissal and publicize it without delay.

An officer (excluding a part-time officer) must not serve as an officer of an organization for profit or engage in a business for profit independently; however, this does not apply if the officer obtains approval from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Regarding any matter in which the president or the director has a conflict of interest with the JHIA, the president or the director have no authority of representation. In this case, an auditor represents JHIA.

The president may appoint an agent from among the directors or employees and authorize the agent to conduct all judicial or extra-judicial acts concerning a part of the operations of JHIA.

①In order to reflect opinions of employers (meaning employers of an applicable place of business at which insured persons are employed; the same applies hereinafter in this section) and insured persons, and to ensure that JHIA's operations are appropriate, JHIA has a management board.

②The management board has nine or less members who are appointed by the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare from among employers, insured persons, and persons with relevant knowledge and experience for properly operating JHIA.

③The term of the members in the preceding paragraph is two years.

④The proviso to Article 7-12, paragraph (1) and the provisions of paragraph (2) of the same Article apply mutatis mutandis to members of the management board.

①With regard to the particulars listed below, the president must obtain a resolution at the management board in advance:

②Beyond the matters prescribed in the preceding paragraph, the management board may consult with the president and make proposals to the president when it finds it necessary.

③Beyond the matters covered by the preceding two paragraphs, other matters relating to the organization and operation of the management board are specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

A member of the management board is deemed to be an official engaged in public service under acts and regulations, with respect to the application of the Penal Code (Act No. 45 of 1907) and other penal provisions.

①In order to contribute to proper operations that meet prefectural demands, JHIA establishes a council for each branch and hears the opinions of each council about the operation status at its branch.

②The council members are commissioned by the head of their branch (hereinafter referred to as "branch head") pursuant to the articles of incorporation from among employers and insured persons at an applicable place of business (including an applicable place of business prescribed in Article 34, paragraph (1); the same applies hereinafter) located in the prefecture in which the council is established as well as persons with relevant knowledge and experience for properly operating the branch.

①JHIA is to determine operation rules with regard to matters necessary for the execution of duties specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

②The president, when intending to make a change to the operation rules, must notify the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare in advance.

JHIA's employees are appointed by the president.

The provisions of Article 7-20 apply mutatis mutandis to JHIA's officers and officials.

JHIA's business year begins on April 1 each year and ends on March 31 of the following year.

JHIA's accounting is to be conducted pursuant to corporate accounting principles, as a general rule, pursuant to Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

JHIA must prepare a business plan and budget for every business year and obtain authorization from the Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare prior to the beginning of the relevant business year. The same applies when JHIA intends to make a change to the business plan or budget.

①JHIA must complete the settlement for each business year by May 31 in the following business year.

②For each business year, JHIA must prepare a balance sheet, a profit and loss statement, documents concerning the appropriation of profits and the disposal of losses, other documents specified by Order of the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, and any annex statements thereof (hereinafter collectively referred to as "financial statements"), accompanied by the business report and statement of accounts for the relevant business year (referred to as "business reports" hereinafter in this Article and Article 217-2, item (iv)) and with statements by the auditor and the accounting auditor selected pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (2) of the following Article attached, and submit them to the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare within two months after completion of the settlement to obtain approval from the minister.

③Financial statements and business reports must contain required information to show the financial and business status of each branch as specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

④When JHIA obtains the approval from the Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (2), it must provide public notice of the financial statements published in an official gazette without delay, maintain those financial statements and business reports as well as written statements by the auditor and accounting auditor referred to in the same paragraph at each office, and provide public access to them for a period specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare.

①JHIA must be audited by an accounting auditor, beyond being audited by an auditor, with regard to the financial statements, the business report (limited to the portion related to accounting), and the statement of accounts.

②An accounting auditor is appointed by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

③An accounting auditor must be a certified public accountant (including a foreign certified public accountant provided for in Article 16-2, paragraph (5) of the Certified Public Accountants Act (Act No. 103 of 1948)) or auditing corporation.

④A person who is ineligible to audit financial statements pursuant to the provisions of the Certified Public Accountant Act is ineligible to become an accounting auditor.

⑤The term of office of an accounting auditor is until the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare gives approval under paragraph (2) of the preceding Article for financial statements for the first business year that ends after the date of the appointment.

⑥If an accounting auditor falls under any of the following items, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare may dismiss the accounting auditor:

JHIA must report the status of implementation of health services operations to the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare for every business year.

①The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare must evaluate JHIA's operational performance in each business year.

②When the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare conducts the evaluation referred to in the preceding paragraph, the Minister must give notice of the results to JHIA and provide public notice thereof without delay.

①JHIA may incur short-term debt with authorization from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare if it is necessary for the allocation of expenses for its operations.

②Short-term debt pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph must be repaid within the relevant business year; provided, however that if the short-term debt fails to be repaid due to a lack of funds, only the amount of funds lacking may be refinanced, after obtaining authorization from the Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare.

③Short-term debt that is refinanced pursuant to the proviso to the preceding paragraph must be repaid within one year.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 3 of the Act on Limitations of Government Financial Assistance to Corporations (Act No. 24 of 1946), when the national government determines it necessary for the smooth operation of its services, it may provide guarantees within the limit of an amount approved by the Diet and within the period determined to be necessary with regard to liabilities pertaining to short-term debt incurred by JHIA pursuant to the provisions of the preceding Article.

JHIA's operational surplus funds must be safely and efficiently operated according to the purpose and nature of the funds as specified by Cabinet Order.

When intending to transfer or provide as collateral important property specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, JHIA must obtain authorization from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

①The remuneration and retirement allowance for JHIA's officers must take into consideration the officers' performance.

②JHIA must specify standards for the payment of the remuneration and retirement allowance for its officers, notify the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of the standards, and publicize them. The same applies when JHIA revises the standards.

①The salaries of JHIA's employees must take into consideration the employees' work performance.

②JHIA must specify standards for the payment of salaries and retirement allowance for its employees, notify the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of the standards, and publicize them. The same applies when JHIA revises the standards.

①A current or former officer or official of JHIA must not divulge confidential information concerning the health insurance business learned in the course of duty without justifiable reasons.

②The provisions of the preceding paragraph apply mutatis mutandis to a person who is, or has been, a member of JHIA's management board.

①When the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare finds it necessary in relation to JHIA, the Minister may collect reports on the status of its business or property, or have the ministry's officials enter JHIA's office to ask persons concerned questions or to inspect that status.

②The relevant official who asks questions or conducts inspections pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph must carry an identification card and present it at the request of any person concerned.

③The authority under paragraph (1) must not be construed as being granted for criminal investigation.

①If the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare finds that JHIA's management or execution of its business or assets violates any law or regulation, its articles of incorporation, or any disposition of the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, or that JHIA has unjustly failed to secure income that it should have secured, has unjustly incurred expenses, has unjustly disposed of its assets or has otherwise significantly failed to appropriately manage or execute its business or assets, or that the officers of JHIA have evidently failed to manage or execute its business or assets, then the Minister may order JHIA or its officers to take measures necessary to rectify the violation or improve the management or performance of its business or assets within a specified period.

②If JHIA or its officers violate an order referred to in the preceding paragraph, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare may order JHIA to dismiss all or some of its officers involved in the violation after a certain period.

③If JHIA violates an order referred to in the preceding paragraph, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare may dismiss the officers to which the order pertained.

The rules for the dissolution of JHIA are provided separately by law.

Beyond what is provided for in this Act and any Cabinet Order based on this Act, matters concerning the finance and accounting of JHIA, and other necessary matters are specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

The Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare must consult with the Minister of Finance in advance, in the following cases:

A health insurance society is composed of employers of applicable places of business, insured persons employed at the applicable places of business, and insured persons with optional and continued coverage.

①A health insurance society is a corporation.

②The address of a health insurance society is at the location of its principal office.

①A health insurance society must use the characters "健康保険組合" (pronounced "kenko hoken kumiai" and literally meaning "health insurance society") in its name.

②No person other than a health insurance society may use the name "健康保険組合".

①An employer who has one or more applicable places of business regularly employing a total number of insured persons equal to or above a figure specified by Cabinet Order may establish a health insurance society for those applicable places of business.

②Employers of applicable places of business may jointly establish a health insurance society. In this case, the total number of insured persons must always be no less than the number specified by Cabinet Order.

①When intending to establish a health insurance society, the employer of an applicable place of business must prepare a constitution with the consent of half or more of the insured persons employed at the applicable place of business for which the health insurance society is to be established, and obtain authorization from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

②When intending to establish a health insurance society for two or more applicable places of business, the consent in the preceding paragraph must be obtained for each of those places of business.

If an application for the establishment of a health insurance society is submitted at the same time as an application pursuant to the provisions of Article 31, paragraph (1), the phrase "applicable place of business" in the preceding two Articles is replaced with "place that will be an applicable place of business" and "insured persons" with "persons to be insured".

①The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare may order an employer who has one or more applicable places of business (excluding those pursuant to Article 31, paragraph (1)) regularly employing a total number of insured persons equal to or above the figure specified by Cabinet Order to establish a health insurance society.

②An employer who has been ordered to establish a health insurance society pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph must prepare a constitution for the society and obtain authorization from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare for the establishment.

A health insurance society is incorporated when it receives authorization for its establishment.

①A health insurance society must specify the particulars listed below in its constitution:

②No change to the health insurance society's constitution referred to in the preceding paragraph (except those pertaining to matters specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) has effect without the authorization of the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

③If a health insurance society makes an amendment to its constitution with regard to matters specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare referred to in the preceding paragraph, it must notify the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of the amendment without delay.

①The employer of an applicable place of business for which a health insurance society is established (hereinafter referred to as the "establishment") and insured persons who are employed at the establishment are members of the health insurance society.

②An insured person referred to in the preceding paragraph who has optional and continued coverage is a member of the health insurance society even if the person is no longer employed at the establishment.

①A health insurance society has society meetings.

②A society meeting is comprised of society meeting members.

③The fixed number of society meeting members is an even number; half of the members are selected from among employers of establishments (including their agents) and workers employed at establishments, and the other half are elected by vote from among society members who are insured persons.

The matters listed below must be determined by a society meeting:

①A society meeting may inspect documents concerning the health insurance society's affairs, request reports from directors or auditors, or inspect the management of affairs, execution of decisions, or revenue and expenditure of the society.

②A society meeting may have a person appointed from among the society meeting members carry out any of the matters under the authority of the society meeting as referred to in the preceding paragraph.

①A health insurance society has directors and auditors as its officers.

②The fixed number of directors is an even number; half of them are elected by votes cast by society meeting members selected by the employer of the establishment, and the other half are elected by votes cast by the society meeting members elected by vote from among society members who are insured persons.

③The president is elected by the directors from among the directors who are society meeting members selected by the employer of the establishment.

④At a society meeting, one auditor is elected by votes from among the society meeting members selected by the employers of the establishment, and the other auditor is elected from among society meeting members elected by vote from among society members who are insured persons.

⑤An auditor may not act concurrently as a director or official of a health insurance society.

①The president of a health insurance society represents the health insurance society and executes its operations. If the president is incapacitated or the position of president is vacant, another director who is a society meeting member selected by the employer of the establishment and appointed by the president in advance represents or performs the president's duties.

②Unless otherwise specified in the constitution, the operations of the health insurance society are determined by the majority of the directors, and by the president in the event of a tie.

③The directors may assist the president in executing the operations of the health insurance society as determined by the president.

④An auditor audits the execution of business and the status of the property of the health insurance society.

The provisions of Article 7-37, paragraph (1) apply mutatis mutandis to officers and officials of the health insurance societies.

①A merger of a health insurance society must be adopted through a resolution by a three-quarter majority of the fixed number of society meeting members in a society meeting and authorization therefore must be obtained from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

②In order to establish a health insurance society by a merger, committee members selected by each health insurance society to be merged from among officers or society meeting members in each of the society meetings must jointly prepare the constitution and take other actions necessary for the establishment.

③A health insurance society established by a merger or that remains after a merger succeeds to the rights and obligations of a health insurance society extinguished due to the merger.

①Any split of a health insurance society must be adopted through a resolution by a three-quarter majority of the fixed number of society meeting members in a society meeting and authorization therefor must be obtained from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

②A split of a health insurance society cannot be applied to a part of an establishment.

③In performing a split, the number of insured persons who are to be society members of a health insurance society established by the split or insured persons who are society members of a health insurance society that remains after the split must be no less than the number specified by Cabinet Order under Article 11, paragraph (1) (paragraph (2) of the same Article if the health insurance society is jointly established).

④In order to establish a health insurance society by a split, employers of applicable places of business that are to be an establishment must prepare the constitution and take other actions necessary for the establishment.

⑤A health insurance society established by a split succeeds to some of the rights and obligations of a health insurance society extinguished due to the split or of a health insurance society that remains after the split.

⑥The limit to the rights and obligations succeeded to pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph must be decided as a part of the resolution on the split and authorization therefor must be obtained from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

①When intending to increase or decrease its number of establishments, a health insurance society must obtain consent from all employers of applicable places of business to which the increase or decrease pertains and from half or more of the insured persons employed at the applicable places of business.

②In the case of an application to make changes to the constitution relating to an increase in the number of establishments of a health insurance society which has applied for the authorization pursuant to the provisions of Article 31, paragraph (1), the phrase "insured persons" in the preceding paragraph is replaced with "persons to be insured".

③When a health insurance society decreases its number of establishments pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), the number of members who are insured persons of the health insurance society must be no less than the number specified by Cabinet Order under Article 11, paragraph (1) (paragraph (2) of the same Article if the health insurance society is jointly established) even after the number of establishments has been decreased.

④The provisions of Article 12, paragraph (2) apply mutatis mutandis when consent from insured persons is obtained under paragraph (1).

①A health insurance society is dissolved for any of the reasons listed below:

②Authorization must be obtained from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare for the dissolution of a health insurance society for a reason listed in item (i) or (ii) of the preceding paragraph.

③If a health insurance society is dissolved and it is unable to pay its debts in full with its property, the health insurance society may request the employers of the establishments to bear all or part of the expenses required to pay its debts in full as specified by Cabinet Order.

④JHIA succeeds to the rights and obligations of a health insurance society extinguished due to dissolution.

①A health insurance society whose income and expenditure for health insurance services is imbalanced and which is designated by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare as meeting the requirements specified by Cabinet Order (hereinafter referred to as a "designated health insurance society" in this and the following Articles) must formulate a plan to improve its soundness (hereinafter referred to as "soundness improvement plan" in this Article) and obtain approval therefor from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, as specified by Cabinet Order. The same applies when a health insurance society revises a soundness improvement plan.

②A designated health insurance society that receives the approval referred to in the provisions of the preceding paragraph must provide health insurance services in accordance with the approved soundness improvement plan.

③If the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare finds it necessary to change a soundness improvement plan due to the status of business and property of a designated health insurance society that has received the approval referred to in paragraph (1), the Minster may request the designated health insurance society to change the soundness improvement plan within a specified period.

①The provisions of Articles 7-38 and 7-39 apply mutatis mutandis to health insurance societies. In this case, the phrase "Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare" in Article 7-39, paragraph (1) is to be replaced with "Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, when collecting reports, asking questions, or conducting inspections pursuant to the provisions of the preceding Article as applied mutatis mutandis to Article 29, paragraph (1)", and the phrase "articles of incorporation" is to be replaced with "constitution".

②If a health insurance society violates an order pursuant to the provisions of Article 7-39, paragraph (1) as applied mutatis mutandis to the preceding paragraph, or if it is found that the continuation of business of a designated health insurance society which has violated the provisions of paragraph (2) of the preceding Article, of a designated health insurance society which fails to follow the request referred to in paragraph (3) of the same Article, or of another designated health insurance society as specified by Cabinet Order is difficult due to the status of services or property or other reasons, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare may order the dissolution of the health insurance society.

Beyond what is provided for in this Chapter, the management of health insurance societies, the retention of their assets, and other necessary matters concerning health insurance societies are specified by Cabinet Order.