Chapter VII Training of Skilled Laborers

①An employer must not exploit an apprentice, student, trainee, or other worker, regardless of their category, on the grounds that the person is seeking to acquire a skill.

②An employer must not employ a worker who is seeking to acquire a skill, in domestic work or other work unrelated to the acquisition of that skill.

If it is necessary for a worker receiving vocational training which has received recognition provided for in Article 24, paragraph (1) of the Vocational Abilities Development Promotion Act (Act No. 64 of 1969) (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 27-2, paragraph (2) of that Act), the provisions of Article 14, paragraph (1) concerning the contract period, the provisions of Article 62 concerning restrictions on dangerous and hazardous operations for minors, the provisions of Article 64-3 concerning restrictions on dangerous and hazardous operations for expectant and postnatal mothers and others, the provisions of Article 63 concerning the ban on underground work by minors, and the provisions of Article 64-2 concerning restrictions on underground work by expectant and postnatal mothers may be otherwise provided for by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to the extent that this is necessary; provided, however, that regarding the ban on underground work by minors referred to in Article 63, this does not apply to persons under 16 years of age.

An Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare issued pursuant to the provisions of the preceding Article does not apply to workers other than those employed by an employer who has obtained permission from the relevant government agency for the employment of workers, pursuant to that Order.

To apply the provisions of Article 39 to minors who are subject to the application of Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare based on the provisions of Article 70, the phrase "10 working days" in Article 39, paragraph (1) is deemed to be replaced with "12 working days", and the phrase "10 working days" in the "6 years or more" column of the table in paragraph (2) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "8 working days".

If an employer that has received permission under Article 71 violates an Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare issued based on the provisions of Article 70, the relevant government agency may revoke that permission.