Whistleblower Protection Act

The Prime Minister may request a report from, or give advice, guidance or recommendations to, a business operatorgive advice or guidance to business providers if the Prime Minister finds it necessary for the enforcement of the provisions of Article 11, paragraphs (1) and (2) (including if these provisions are applied by replacing the terms pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (3) of the Article).

If the Prime Minister finds that a business operator is in violation of the provisions of Article 11, paragraph (1) (except as applied following a deemed replacement of terms pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (3) of that Article), the Minister may issue a recommendation to the business operator to take the necessary measures to correct the violation.

When a person who has received a recommendation under the provisions of the preceding paragraph does not take the measures for which the recommendation was made without just cause, the Prime Minister may order the person who has received the recommendation to take the measures for which the recommendation was made.

If the Prime Minister issues an order pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Minister may issue a public announcement to that effect.

The Prime Minister may issue a recommendation to a business operator if the Minister finds it necessary to do so in connection with the enforcement of the provisions of Article 11, paragraph (1) (limited when as applied following a deemed replacement of terms pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (3) of the Article) and paragraph (2) (including as applied following a deemed replacement of terms pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (3) of the Article).

If the Prime Minister has issued a recommendation under the provisions of the preceding paragraph to a business operator that is in violation of the provisions of Article 11, paragraph (2) (excluding as applied following a deemed replacement of terms pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (3) of the Article), and the business operator that has received the recommendation fails to take the recommended measures without just cause, the Minister may make this fact public.

IfTo the Prime Minister has given a recommendation under the preceding Article to a business operator that is in violation of the provisions of Article 11, paragraphs (1) and (2), and the person who received the recommendation has not complied with it, the Prime Minister may make a public announcement to that effectextent necessary for the enforcement of the provisions of Article 11, paragraph (1) (excluding when applied by replacing the terms pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (3) of the Article), the Prime Minister may have a business operator make a report, or may have their employees enter the offices or other workplaces of the business operator and inspect books, documents, and any other articles.

To the extent necessary for the enforcement of the provisions of Article 11, paragraph (1) (limited when it is applied by replacing the terms pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (3) of the Article) and paragraph (2) (including when it is applied by replacing the terms pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (3) of the Article), the Prime Minister may request that the business operator make a report.

When government employees enter the offices or other workplaces of the business operator pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), the employees must carry an identification card and present it to the relevant persons.

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

The provisions of Articles 15 andthrough 16 do not apply to the national government and local governments.