Public Assistance Act

No public assistance recipient shall be subject to any adverse change to public assistance which has already been decided on, unless there are justifiable grounds.

No public assistance recipient shall have taxes or any other public imposts based on public assistance benefits and school enrollment and job-search preparation benefits imposed on him/her.

No public assistance recipient shall be subject to the attachment of already furnished public assistance benefits and school enrollment and job-search preparation benefits, or the right to receive them.

The right to receive public assistance, or to receive payment of the benefit for employment and self-support or the school enrollment and job-search preparation benefit, may not be transferred.

A public assistance recipient shall constantly work diligently in accordance with his/her ability, make efforts on his/her own to maintain and promote his/her health, properly ascertain the state of his/her income, expenditure and other aspects of livelihood and make efforts to reduce his/her expenditure, and make other efforts to maintain and improve his/her standard of living.

A public assistance recipient shall, when there has been a change to his/her income, expenditure or any other condition related to his/her livelihood or when there has been a change to his/her place of residence or household composition, promptly notify the public assistance administrator or the welfare office director to that effect.

When a public assistance administrator has decided, pursuant to the provisions of the proviso to Article 30, paragraph (1), to provide public assistance by having a public assistance recipient admitted into a relief facility, a rehabilitation facility, a residential facility for daily living support or any other appropriate facility, or by entrusting such admission to any such facility, or by entrusting nursing care to the home of a private individual, or when a public assistance administrator has given the necessary guidance or instruction to a public assistance recipient, pursuant to the provisions of Article 27, the public assistance recipient shall follow such decision, guidance or instruction.

A public assistance recipient using a public assistance facility shall follow the management rules of said public assistance facility that have been established pursuant to the provisions of Article 46.

When a public assistance recipient has violated any obligation under the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, a public assistance administrator may change, suspend or discontinue the public assistance.

In the case where a public assistance administrator gives a disposition to change, suspend or discontinue public assistance pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, he/she shall grant said public assistance recipient an opportunity for explanation. In this case, he/she shall notify the reason for said disposition and the date and place for giving the explanation, in advance.

The provisions of Chapter 3 (excluding Articles 12 and 14) of the Administrative Procedure Act shall not apply to a disposition under the provisions of paragraph (3).

When a public assistance recipient has received public assistance in an urgent case, etc. despite having a financial resource, he/she shall promptly refund the amount specified by the public assistance administrator within the scope of the amount equivalent to the public assistance benefit received.