Article 24Commencement of or Change to Public Assistance Through Application

①A person applying for the commencement of public assistance must submit to the public assistance administrator, as provided by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, a written application stating the following matters; provided, however, that this does not apply where there are special circumstances that make it impossible to prepare the written application:

②Documents specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as necessary for deciding the need for and the type, extent and method of public assistance for the person requiring public assistance must be attached to the written application under the preceding paragraph; provided, however, that this does not apply where there are special circumstances that make it impossible to attach the documents.

③A public assistance administrator shall, where an application for the commencement of public assistance has been filed, decide on the need for and the type, extent and method of public assistance, and notify the applicant of the result in writing.

④The document under the preceding paragraph shall state the reason for the decision.

⑤The notice under paragraph (3) shall be given within fourteen days from the date on which an application has been filed; provided, however, that said period may be extended to thirty days in the case where an investigation on the state of the assets and income of persons responsible for support takes time or there is any other special reason.

⑥Where, pursuant to the proviso to the preceding paragraph, a public assistance administrator has not given the notice under paragraph (3) within the period prescribed in the main clause of the preceding paragraph, the public assistance administrator must clearly indicate the reason in the document under paragraph (3).

⑦When an applicant does not receive the notice under paragraph (3) within thirty days from the filing of an application for public assistance, he/she may deem that the public assistance administrator has dismissed the application.

⑧Where it is found that a known person responsible for support has not performed the obligation of support under the provisions of the Civil Code, a public assistance administrator that intends to make a decision on the commencement of public assistance must, as provided by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, notify that person responsible for support in advance, in writing, of the matters specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; provided, however, that this does not apply in a case specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as one in which it is not appropriate to give the notice in advance.

⑨The provisions of paragraphs (1) to (7) shall apply mutatis mutandis to an application for a change to public assistance by a person prescribed in Article 7.

⑩An application for the commencement of or a change to public assistance may also be filed through the mayor of a town or village. In the case where the mayor of a town or village has received an application, he/she shall send said application to the public assistance administrator together with a document stating the presence or absence of any person responsible for support of the person requiring public assistance, the state of assets and income, and any other matters that would serve as a reference when making a decision concerning public assistance, within five days.