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Whistleblower Protection Act

公益通報者保護法（こうえきつうほうしゃほごほう）

Chapter III Measures to Be Taken by Business Operators

The law as Act Partially Amending the Whistleblower Protection Act (Act No. 62 of 2025) leaves it, with the words it changes marked.

See the list of changesThe text in force todayOn e-Gov

The main text is read a page at a time: a chapter to a page, and a long chapter in runs of articles. The whole main text, and the supplementary provisions and appended tables this amendment changes. Those it leaves untouched are on the page for the text in force.

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Chapter III Measures to Be Taken by Business Operators第三章　事業者がとるべき措置等

Article 11第十一条

Measures to Be Taken by Business Operators（事業者がとるべき措置）
2 changes in this article
Article 11, paragraph (1)（事業者がとるべき措置）(Measures to Be Taken by Business Operators)Changed

A business operator must designate a person to be engaged in the operations of receiving whistleblowing provided for in Article 3, paragraph (1), item (i) and Article 6, paragraph (1), item (i), investigating the reportable fact relating to the whistleblowing, and taking necessary measures to correct it (referred to as the "operations to respond to whistleblowing" in the following Article 12) (referred to as a "person engaged in the operations to respond to whistleblowing" in the following Article 12).

事業者は、第三条第一項第一号及び第六条第一項第一号に定める公益通報を受け、並びに当該公益通報に係る通報対象事実の調査をし、及びその是正に必要な措置をとる業務（次条第十二条において「公益通報対応業務」という。）に従事する者（次条第十二条において「公益通報対応業務従事者」という。）を定めなければならない。

Article 11, paragraph (2)（事業者がとるべき措置）(Measures to Be Taken by Business Operators)Changed

In addition to what is provided for in the preceding paragraph, a business operator must establish necessary systems to respond to and to appropriately handle the whistleblowing provided for in Article 3, paragraph (1), item (i) and Article 6, item (i)paragraph (1), item (i), make the system known to workers, etc., and take other necessary measures, in order to protect whistleblowers and to ensure compliance with the provisions of laws and regulations relating to the protection of the lives, physical wellbeing, property, and other interests of citizens by making use of the content of whistleblowing.

事業者は、前項に定めるもののほか、公益通報者の保護を図るとともに、公益通報の内容の活用により国民の生命、身体、財産その他の利益の保護に関わる法令の規定の遵守を図るため、第三条第一項第一号及び第六条第一項第一号に定める公益通報に応じ、適切に対応するために必要な体制の整備、労働者等に対するその周知その他の必要な措置をとらなければならない。

Article 11, paragraph (3)（事業者がとるべき措置）

Concerning any business operator that regularly employs 300 or fewer workers, the phrase "must designate" in paragraph (1) is replaced with "must endeavor to designate" and the phrase "must establish" in the preceding paragraph is replaced with "must endeavor to establish".

常時使用する労働者の数が三百人以下の事業者については、第一項中「定めなければ」とあるのは「定めるように努めなければ」と、前項中「とらなければ」とあるのは「とるように努めなければ」とする。

Article 11, paragraph (4)（事業者がとるべき措置）

The Prime Minister is to establish guidelines necessary for the appropriate and effective implementation of the measures to be taken by business operators based on the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) (including as applied following the replacement of the terms pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph) (these guidelines are simply referred to below as the "guidelines" in this Article).

内閣総理大臣は、第一項及び第二項（これらの規定を前項の規定により読み替えて適用する場合を含む。）の規定に基づき事業者がとるべき措置に関して、その適切かつ有効な実施を図るために必要な指針（以下この条において単に「指針」という。）を定めるものとする。

Article 11, paragraph (5)（事業者がとるべき措置）

When establishing the guidelines, the Prime Minister must hear the opinion of the Consumer Commission in advance.

内閣総理大臣は、指針を定めようとするときは、あらかじめ、消費者委員会の意見を聴かなければならない。

Article 11, paragraph (6)（事業者がとるべき措置）

Upon establishing the guidelines, the Prime Minister is to publicize them without delay.

内閣総理大臣は、指針を定めたときは、遅滞なく、これを公表するものとする。

Article 11, paragraph (7)（事業者がとるべき措置）

The provisions of the preceding two paragraphs apply mutatis mutandis to any change of the guidelines.

前二項の規定は、指針の変更について準用する。

Article 11-2第十一条の二Caption added

Prohibiting Obstruction of Reporting

通報妨害の禁止等

2 changes in this article
Article 11-2, paragraph (1)（通報妨害の禁止等）(Prohibiting Obstruction of Reporting)Added

The business operator stated in each item of Article 2, paragraph (1) must not obstruct by requesting without just cause that the person stated in the relevant item agree not to conduct whistleblowing, and by informing the person of disadvantageous treatment if whistleblowing is conducted, or by any other act.

第二条第一項各号に定める事業者は、当該各号に掲げる者に対して、正当な理由がなく、公益通報をしない旨の合意をすることを求めること、公益通報をした場合に不利益な取扱いをすることを告げることその他の行為によって、公益通報を妨げてはならない。

Article 11-2, paragraph (2)（通報妨害の禁止等）(Prohibiting Obstruction of Reporting)Added

An agreement or any other juridical act made in violation of the provisions of the preceding paragraph is void.

前項の規定に違反してされた合意その他の法律行為は、無効とする。

Article 11-3第十一条の三Caption added

Prohibiting Searches for Whistleblowers

通報者探索の禁止

1 change in this article
Article 11-3, paragraph (1)（通報者探索の禁止）(Prohibiting Searches for Whistleblowers)Added

A business operator stated in each item of Article 2, paragraph (1) must not demand without justifiable grounds the identity of a whistleblower or conduct any other act for the purpose of identifying a whistleblower.

第二条第一項各号に定める事業者は、正当な理由がなく、公益通報者である旨を明らかにすることを要求することその他の公益通報者を特定することを目的とする行為をしてはならない。

Article 12第十二条

Obligations of Persons Engaged in the Activity of Dealing with Whistleblowing（公益通報対応業務従事者の義務）
Article 12, paragraph (1)

A person who is or was engaged in the activity of dealing with whistleblowing must not divulge any information which comes to the person's knowledge in connection with the activity of dealing with whistleblowing that enables the identification of the whistleblower, without just cause.

公益通報対応業務従事者又は公益通報対応業務従事者であった者は、正当な理由がなく、その公益通報対応業務に関して知り得た事項であって公益通報者を特定させるものを漏らしてはならない。

Article 13第十三条

Measures to Be Taken by Administrative Bodies（行政機関がとるべき措置）
2 changes in this article
Article 13, paragraph (1)（行政機関がとるべき措置）(Measures to Be Taken by Administrative Bodies)Changed

If whistleblowing provided for in Article 3, paragraph (1), item (ii) and Article 6, paragraph (1), item (ii) is conducted by a whistleblower, an administrative body with the authority to impose a disposition or make a recommendation, etc. or other act regarding the reportable fact must conduct necessary investigations, and if it recognizes that the reportable fact subject to the whistleblowing exists, it must take measures based on laws and regulations or any other appropriate measures.

通報対象事実について処分又は勧告等をする権限を有する行政機関は、公益通報者から第三条第一項第二号及び第六条第一項第二号に定める公益通報をされた場合には、必要な調査を行い、当該公益通報に係る通報対象事実があると認めるときは、法令に基づく措置その他適当な措置をとらなければならない。

Article 13, paragraph (2)（行政機関がとるべき措置）(Measures to Be Taken by Administrative Bodies)Changed

In order to ensure appropriate implementation of the measures provided for in the preceding paragraph, an administrative body (excluding the officials provided for in Article 2, paragraph (4), item (i)) that has the authority to impose a disposition or make a recommendation, etc. or other act with regard to a reportable fact must respond to the whistleblowing provided for in Article 3, paragraph (1), item (ii) and Article 6, paragraph (1), item (ii), establish a system necessary for appropriately responding to it, and take other necessary measures.

通報対象事実について処分又は勧告等をする権限を有する行政機関（第二条第四項第一号に規定する職員を除く。）は、前項に規定する措置の適切な実施を図るため、第三条第一項第二号及び第六条第一項第二号に定める公益通報に応じ、適切に対応するために必要な体制の整備その他の必要な措置をとらなければならない。

Article 13, paragraph (3)（行政機関がとるべき措置）

Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, if the whistleblowing referred to in paragraph (1) concerns a fact that constitutes a criminal act as provided for in Article 2, paragraph (3), item (i), the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Act No. 131 of 1948) govern the criminal investigation and prosecution.

第一項の公益通報が第二条第三項第一号に掲げる犯罪行為の事実を内容とする場合における当該犯罪の捜査及び公訴については、前二項の規定にかかわらず、刑事訴訟法（昭和二十三年法律第百三十一号）の定めるところによる。

Article 14第十四条

Information（教示）
Article 14, paragraph (1)

If a whistleblowing referred to in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article is erroneously conducted to an administrative body that does not have the authority to impose a disposition or make a recommendation or other act regarding the reportable fact subject to the whistleblowing, the administrative body must inform the whistleblower of the administrative body that has the authority to impose a disposition or make a recommendation or other act regarding that reportable fact.

前条第一項の公益通報が誤って当該公益通報に係る通報対象事実について処分又は勧告等をする権限を有しない行政機関に対してされたときは、当該行政機関は、当該公益通報者に対し、当該公益通報に係る通報対象事実について処分又は勧告等をする権限を有する行政機関を教示しなければならない。

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