The purpose of the Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Organization is to conduct light motor vehicle inspection work, and also to conduct affairs related thereto, in order to ensure the safety of light motor vehicles and to achieve prevention of pollution by light motor vehicles and other conservation of the environment.

The Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Organization (hereinafter referred to as "the Organization") is a juridical person.

Only one Organization is to be established.

①The Organization must use the words "Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Organization" in its name.

②A person that is not the Organization must not use the words "Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Organization" in its name.

①The Organization must effect registration as prescribed by Cabinet Order.

②Matters that must be registered pursuant to the preceding paragraph may not be asserted against a third party until after the registration.

Articles 4 and 78 of the Act on General Incorporated Associations and General Incorporated Foundations (Act No. 48 of 2006) apply mutatis mutandis to the Organization.

In order to establish the Organization, it is necessary that seven or more persons with knowledge and experience in ensuring the safety of motor vehicles and the prevention of pollution by motor vehicles become incorporators.

①The incorporators must submit the articles of incorporation and a business plan to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and apply for authorization of establishment.

②The initial officers at the time of establishment must be specified in the articles of incorporation.

③Matters to be stated in the business plan under paragraph (1) are prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

When an application for authorization has been made pursuant to paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism must grant authorization of establishment if the contents of the application do not fall under any of the following items and it is found certain that its business will be soundly conducted and will contribute to ensuring the safety of light motor vehicles and the prevention of pollution by light motor vehicles:

When authorization of establishment has been granted, the incorporators must, without delay, hand over their affairs to the person who is to become the president of the Organization.

①The person who is to become the president must, when having received the handover of affairs pursuant to the preceding Article, without delay, effect registration of establishment as prescribed by Cabinet Order.

②The Organization comes into existence upon registration of establishment.

①The following matters must be stated in the articles of incorporation of the Organization:

②An amendment to the articles of incorporation of the Organization does not take effect unless authorization of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is obtained.

The Organization has a president, directors and auditors as officers.

①The president represents the Organization and oversees its business.

②Directors, as provided by the articles of incorporation, assist the president and manage the business of the Organization, act on behalf of the president when the president is unable to perform the president's duties, and perform the duties of the president when the post of president is vacant.

③Auditors audit the business of the Organization.

④Auditors may, based on the results of an audit, submit opinions to the president or the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism if they find it necessary.

A person who falls under any of the following cannot become an officer:

The Organization must dismiss an officer if the officer has come to fall under any of the items of the preceding Article.

①The appointment and dismissal of officers do not take effect unless authorization of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is obtained.

②If an officer has committed an act in violation of this Act, an order or disposition based on this Act, the articles of incorporation, the statement of business procedures, or the inspection work rules prescribed in Article 76-30, paragraph (1), or has committed a grossly inappropriate act in relation to the business of the Organization, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism may order the Organization, specifying a period, to dismiss that officer.

③The Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism may dismiss an officer if the Organization does not dismiss the officer in the case where the officer has come to fall under any of the items of Article 76-18, or if the Organization has failed to comply with an order under the preceding paragraph.

An officer must not become an officer of an organization whose purpose is to make a profit, or personally engage in a for-profit business; provided, however, that this does not apply if the approval of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has been obtained.

With respect to matters in which the interests of the Organization and the president conflict, the president does not have authority of representation. In this case, the auditors represent the Organization.

①The Organization has a board of councilors as a body that deliberates on important matters concerning its administration.

②The board of councilors is composed of not more than 20 councilors.

③Councilors are appointed by the president, with the authorization of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, from among persons with academic knowledge and experience in ensuring the safety of motor vehicles and the prevention of pollution by motor vehicles and other conservation of the environment.

The employees of the Organization are appointed by the president.

An employee must not operate a business of manufacturing, modifying, maintaining, selling, collecting, dismantling or crushing motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts, engage in the work of those businesses, or become an officer or employee of an association of persons who operate those businesses.

Officers and employees are deemed to be officials engaged in public service in accordance with laws and regulations for the purpose of the application of the Penal Code (Act No. 45 of 1907) and other penal provisions.

①In order to achieve the purpose of Article 76-2, the Organization conducts the following business:

②When the Organization intends to conduct the business set forth in item (vi) of the preceding paragraph, it must obtain authorization of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

①The Organization must, before commencing its operations, prepare a statement of business procedures and obtain approval from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The same applies when it intends to change the statement.

②The matters to be stated in the statement of business procedures are prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

When commencing light motor vehicle inspection work, the Organization must notify the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of the date of commencing that work and the location of the office at which it will perform that work. The same applies when the Organization intends to change the location of the office at which it performs light motor vehicle inspection work.

①Before commencing light motor vehicle inspection work, the Organization must establish rules concerning the implementation of light motor vehicle inspection work (hereinafter referred to as the "inspection work rules") and obtain approval from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The same applies when it intends to change the rules.

②If the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism finds that the inspection work rules approved under the preceding paragraph have become inappropriate for the proper and reliable implementation of light motor vehicle inspection work, the Minister may order that the inspection work rules be changed.

③The matters to be provided for in the inspection work rules are prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

For each office at which it performs light motor vehicle inspection work, the Organization must be equipped with inspection facilities that conform to the standards prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and must maintain them so that they conform to those standards.

①When performing light motor vehicle inspection work, the Organization must have light motor vehicle inspectors carry out the work of determining whether a light motor vehicle conforms to the safety standards.

②A light motor vehicle inspector must be appointed from among persons who meet the requirements, such as a certain practical experience in the inspection of motor vehicles, prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

③When the Organization has appointed a light motor vehicle inspector, it must notify the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to that effect within 15 days from the day of the appointment. The same applies when it has changed this.

④If a light motor vehicle inspector has committed an act in violation of this Act, an order or disposition under this Act, or the inspection work rules, or has committed a grossly inappropriate act in relation to light motor vehicle inspection work, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism may order the Organization to dismiss the light motor vehicle inspector.

⑤A person who has been dismissed from the position of light motor vehicle inspector or motor vehicle inspector by an order under the preceding paragraph or Article 94-4, paragraph (4), and for whom two years have not elapsed from the day of dismissal, cannot become a light motor vehicle inspector.

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

For each business year, the Organization must prepare a budget and a business plan and obtain approval from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism before the start of that business year. The same applies when it intends to change them.

①For each business year, the Organization must prepare an inventory of property, a balance sheet and a profit and loss statement (hereinafter referred to as the "financial statements") and submit them to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism within three months after the end of that business year.

②When the Organization submits the financial statements to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism pursuant to the preceding paragraph, it must attach to them the statement of final accounts for that business year prepared in accordance with the classification of the budget, and a written opinion of the auditors on the financial statements and the statement of final accounts.

In addition to what is provided for in this Act, the matters necessary with respect to the finance and accounting of the Organization are prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

If the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism finds it necessary in order to enforce this Act, the Minister may issue to the Organization such orders as are necessary for supervision with respect to its operations.

①If the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism finds it necessary in order to enforce this Act, the Minister may have the Organization make a report with respect to its operations, or have the Minister's officials enter the offices or other places of business of the Organization and inspect the status of its operations or its books and documents and other articles.

②When conducting an on-site inspection pursuant to the preceding paragraph, the official concerned must carry a certificate showing the official's identity and present it if requested by a person concerned.

③The authority to conduct on-site inspections under paragraph (1) must not be construed as being vested for criminal investigation.

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