①A person intending to use a hot spring for public bathing or drinking must apply to the prefectural governor and obtain the permission pursuant to the provisions of the Order of the Ministry of the Environment.

②A person that falls under any of the following items may not obtain the permission referred to in the preceding paragraph:

③When a prefectural governor finds that the composition of a hot spring is harmful to health, the governor may refuse to grant the permission referred to in paragraph (1).

④The provisions of Article 4, paragraphs (2) and (3) apply mutatis mutandis to the permission referred to in paragraph (1). In this case, the term "for the protection of hot springs, the prevention of disasters caused by flammable natural gas, and other matters in public interest" in paragraph (3) of the same Article is deemed to be replaced with "for public health".

①In the case of a merger of corporations that have obtained the permission referred to in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article (excluding the situation where a corporation that has obtained the permission referred to in the same paragraph continues to exist after merging with a corporation that has not obtained the permission), or in the case of a split (limited to situations where the entire business of providing hot springs related to the permission for public bathing or drinking is succeeded), if the approval of the prefectural governor has been obtained for the merger or split, the corporation that continues to exist after the merger, the corporation established by the merger, or the corporation that succeeds to the entire business through the split is to succeed to the status of the person that has obtained the permission referred to in the same paragraph.

②The provisions of Article 4, paragraph (2) and paragraph (2) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to the approval referred to in the preceding paragraph. In this case, the phrase "a person that falls under any of the following items" in paragraph (2) of the same Article is deemed to be replaced with "if the corporation surviving a merger, the corporation established by the merger, or the corporation succeeding to the entire business of providing hot springs for public bathing or drinking through the split falls under any of the following items".

①If a person who obtained the permission referred to in Article 15, paragraph (1) dies, and the heir (if there are two or more heirs and the heir who is to succeed to the business of providing hot springs related to the permission for public bathing or drinking is selected with the consent of all the heirs, that person; the same applies below in this Article) intends to continue the business of providing hot springs related to the permission for public bathing or drinking, the heir must apply to the prefectural governor within sixty days after the death of the decedent and obtain the approval of the prefectural governor.

②If an heir applies for the approval referred to in the preceding paragraph, the permission referred to in Article 15, paragraph (1) which has been granted to the decedent is deemed to have been granted to the heir from the date of the death of the decedent until the date on which the heir obtains the approval or receives notice of non-approval.

③The provisions of Article 4, paragraph (2) and Article 15, paragraph (2) (excluding the part related to item (iii)) apply mutatis mutandis to the approval referred to in paragraph (1).

④An heir who has obtained the approval referred to in paragraph (1), succeeds to the status of the person that has obtained the permission referred to in Article 15, paragraph (1) in relation to the decedent.

①A person that provides hot springs for public bathing or drinking must make a posting of the following information at the place that can be seen most easily in the facility, pursuant to the provisions of the Order of the Ministry of the Environment:

②The posting under the provisions of the preceding paragraph must be made based on the results of the composition analysis of hot spring (meaning an analysis and inspection of the compositions of the hot springs conducted for that posting; the same applies below) conducted by a person that has obtained the registration under paragraph (1) of the following Article (below referred to as "registered analytical facility").

③A person that provides hot springs for public bathing or drinking must undergo a composition analysis of hot spring referred to in the preceding paragraph for each period specified by Cabinet Order, and must change the content of the posting under the provisions of paragraph (1) based on the results within 30 days from the day on which the person received the notification of the results.

④When a person that provides hot springs for public bathing or drinking intends to make a posting under the provisions of paragraph (1) or change the content of the posting, the person must give notice of the content of the posting to the prefectural governor in advance, pursuant to the provisions of the Order of the Ministry of the Environment.

⑤When a prefectural governor finds it to be necessary to protect the health of persons who bathe in a facility as referred to in paragraph (1) or persons who consume a hot spring beverage as referred to in that paragraph, the governor may order the person to change the content of the posting that has been filed under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

①A person intending to conduct a composition analysis of hot spring must have the facility where the analysis is conducted (below referred to as "analytical facility") registered by the governor of the prefecture in which the facility is located.

②A person seeking the registration referred to in the preceding paragraph must submit a written application to the prefectural governor, stating the following matters:

③When a prefectural governor finds that the application for the registration referred to in paragraph (1) conforms to all of the following items, the governor must register the matters referred to in items (i) and (ii) of the preceding paragraph, along with the date of the registration and the registration number, in the registry of registered analytical facilities:

④A person that falls under any of the following items may not be registered as referred to in paragraph (1):

⑤When a prefectural governor has made a registration as referred to in paragraph (1), the governor must notify the applicant to that effect in writing without delay, and when a prefectural governor has refused the registration, the governor must notify the applicant to that effect with the reasons for it in writing without delay.

When the matters referred to in the items of paragraph (2) of the preceding Article have been changed (excluding minor changes specified by the Order of the Ministry of the Environment), a registered analytical facility must give notice of this to the prefectural governor without delay.

①When a registered analytical facility discontinues the operation of composition analysis of hot spring, it must give notice of this to the prefectural governor without delay.

②When a notification under the provisions of preceding paragraph has been filed, the registration of the registered analytical facility ceases to be effective.

When a registration ceases to be effective pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (2) of the preceding Article, or if a registration is revoked pursuant to the provisions of Article 25, the prefectural governor must cancel the registration of the registered analytical facility.

A prefectural governor must make the registry of registered analytical facilities available for public inspection.

A registered analytical facility must, as specified by the Order of the Ministry of the Environment, make a posting a sign in the format specified by Order, at a place that can be seen most easily to the public at each of its offices and analytical facilities.

When a registered analytical facility falls under any of the following items, the prefectural governor may revoke its registration:

Beyond what is prescribed in Article 19 through the preceding Article, the procedures for registration, the form of the registry of registered analytical facilities, and other necessary matters concerning the registration of a registered analytical facility are specified by the Order of the Ministry of the Environment.

A registered analytical facility must not refuse a request for composition analysis of hot spring without justifiable grounds.

①A prefectural governor may, to the extent necessary for ensuring the proper implementation of composition analysis of hot spring, request a person to conduct a composition analysis of hot spring to submit necessary reports concerning the analysis, or authorize the prefecture's officials to enter the person's office or analytical facility to inspect instruments, machines, equipment, books, documents, and any other objects used in the analysis, or to question the relevant persons.

②An official who conducts an on-site inspection pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph must carry an identification card and present it to the relevant persons.

③The authority to conduct an on-site inspection under the provisions of paragraph (1) must not be construed as being granted for the purpose of a criminal investigation.

The Minister of the Environment may designate areas necessary for the development of hot spring facilities (meaning facilities where hot springs are used for public bathing or drinking, facilities where hot springs are used for industrial purposes, and other facilities where hot springs are used; the same applies below) and for the improvement of the environment, to promote public use of hot spring.

When the Minister of the Environment or a prefectural governor finds it particularly necessary to promote public use of hot spring within the area designated pursuant to the provisions of the preceding Article, they may issue necessary instructions to the managers of hot spring facilities regarding the improvement of the facilities or their management methods, pursuant to the provisions of the Order of the Ministry of the Environment.

①A prefectural governor may revoke the permission referred to in Article 15, paragraph (1) in the following cases:

②In the cases referred to in item (i), (iii), or (iv) of the preceding paragraph, the prefectural governor may order a person that extracts hot springs from a hot spring source or the administrator of a hot spring facility to restrict the use of the hot springs or take measures to prevent harm.