Supplementary Provisions, Article 103

①The national government may, for the time being, within the scope of the budget, lend to an establisher of a hospital or clinic, without interest, part of the funds to be applied to the expenses required for the improvement of a hospital or clinic that falls under Article 2, paragraph (1), item (ii) of the Act on Special Measures Concerning Promotion of Social Infrastructure Development Through Use of Proceeds from Sale of the Stock of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (Act No. 86 of 1987; hereinafter referred to as the "Social Infrastructure Development Special Measures Act").

②The national government may, for the time being, within the scope of the budget, lend to a prefecture, without interest, part of the funds to be applied to the expenses that the prefecture subsidizes to the establisher of a hospital or clinic with respect to the improvement of a hospital or clinic that falls under Article 2, paragraph (1), item (ii) of the Social Infrastructure Development Special Measures Act.

③The repayment period of the loans by the state under the preceding two paragraphs is a period specified by Cabinet Order within five years (including a deferment period of two years or less).

④In addition to what is provided for in the preceding paragraph, the method of repayment of the loans under the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2), the advance of the repayment deadline, and other matters necessary for repayment are specified by Cabinet Order.

⑤In the case where the national government has made a loan to a prefecture or an establisher of a hospital or clinic pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2), it is to provide a subsidy in an amount equivalent to the loan for the improvement of the hospital or clinic that is the subject of the loan, and that subsidy is to be provided by paying an amount equivalent to the repaid amount of the loan at the time of its repayment.

⑥With regard to the interest-free loan that a prefecture or an establisher of a hospital or clinic has received pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2), in the case where it repays the loan in advance of the repayment deadline determined based on the provisions of paragraphs (3) and (4) (excluding the cases specified by Cabinet Order), for the purpose of applying the provisions of the preceding paragraph, that repayment is deemed to have been made when that repayment deadline arrives.