第三条（自動車の種類）
A motor vehicle is classified on the basis of the standards that Cabinet Office Order prescribes for body size, structure, and engine size, as standard motor vehicle, mid-sized motor vehicle, semi-mid-sized motor vehicle, large motor vehicle, special small motor vehicle, special large motor vehicle, standard motorcycle (including one with a sidecar; the same applies hereinafter), or large motorcycle (including one with a sidecar; the same applies hereinafter).
自動車は、内閣府令で定める車体の大きさ及び構造並びに原動機の大きさを基準として、大型自動車、中型自動車、準中型自動車、普通自動車、大型特殊自動車、大型自動二輪車（側車付きのものを含む。以下同じ。）、普通自動二輪車（側車付きのものを含む。以下同じ。）及び小型特殊自動車に区分する。
When the prefectural public safety commission (hereinafter referred to as a "public safety commission") finds it necessary in order to prevent hazards on roads and otherwise ensure the safety and fluidity of traffic, or to prevent traffic nuisances and other harm arising from road traffic, it may, pursuant to Cabinet Order, install and manage traffic lights or road signs or markings and thereby carry out traffic control, prohibit the passage of pedestrians or remotely operated small vehicles (limited to those traveling on a road by remote operation) (referred to as "pedestrians, etc." in the following Article through Article 13-2) or of vehicles or streetcars, or otherwise regulate traffic on roads. In this case, if it is urgent and there is no time to install road signs or markings, or it otherwise finds it difficult to regulate traffic with road signs or markings, the public safety commission may, through on-site instructions given by a police officer of the prefectural police under its management, regulate traffic in a manner equivalent to regulating traffic by installing and managing road signs or markings.
都道府県公安委員会（以下「公安委員会」という。）は、道路における危険を防止し、その他交通の安全と円滑を図り、又は交通公害その他の道路の交通に起因する障害を防止するため必要があると認めるときは、政令で定めるところにより、信号機又は道路標識等を設置し、及び管理して、交通整理、歩行者若しくは遠隔操作型小型車（遠隔操作により道路を通行しているものに限る。）（次条から第十三条の二までにおいて「歩行者等」という。）又は車両等の通行の禁止その他の道路における交通の規制をすることができる。この場合において、緊急を要するため道路標識等を設置するいとまがないとき、その他道路標識等による交通の規制をすることが困難であると認めるときは、公安委員会は、その管理に属する都道府県警察の警察官の現場における指示により、道路標識等の設置及び管理による交通の規制に相当する交通の規制をすることができる。
The regulation of traffic under the preceding paragraph is undertaken at a specific location or within a specific area or section of a road. It may have a limited target and its application may be limited to certain days or hours.
A public safety commission must endeavor to install traffic lights at high-traffic intersections other than roundabouts (meaning intersections with a circular area for motor vehicle traffic, where drivers of vehicles are directed by road signs or markings to proceed in a clockwise direction; the same applies hereinafter), and at other locations where lights are found to be necessary to prevent traffic hazards.
Cabinet Order provides for the meanings of signals displayed by traffic lights and for other necessary particulars concerning traffic lights.
信号機の表示する信号の意味その他信号機について必要な事項は、政令で定める。
Cabinet Office Order/ Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism provides for the types, formats, placement, and other necessary particulars concerning road signs and markings.
道路標識等の種類、様式、設置場所その他道路標識等について必要な事項は、内閣府令・国土交通省令で定める。
A public safety commission may, pursuant to Cabinet Order, have the chief of a police station carry out those of the prohibitions on the passage of pedestrians, etc. or vehicles or streetcars and other traffic regulations prescribed in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article that apply for a short period.
A public safety commission may delegate a person that Cabinet Order prescribes to handle the administrative functions involving the installation or management of traffic lights.
Article 6Regulation of Traffic by Officers
第六条（警察官等の交通規制）
A police or traffic patrol officer as prescribed in Article 114-4, paragraph (1) (hereinafter referred to as an "officer") may control traffic using hand signals and other signals (hereinafter referred to as "alternative signals"). On finding it to be particularly necessary to do so in order to prevent road hazards and otherwise ensure the safety and fluidity of traffic, an officer may use an alternative signal with a different meaning from that of a signal displayed by a traffic light, regardless of the signal displayed by the traffic light.
警察官又は第百十四条の四第一項に規定する交通巡視員（以下「警察官等」という。）は、手信号その他の信号（以下「手信号等」という。）により交通整理を行なうことができる。この場合において、警察官等は、道路における危険を防止し、その他交通の安全と円滑を図るため特に必要があると認めるときは、信号機の表示する信号にかかわらず、これと異なる意味を表示する手信号等をすることができる。
On finding a compelling reason to do so in order to ensure that traffic runs smoothly on a road (other than a national expressway or limited highway; the same applies in paragraph (4)) on which severe traffic congestion is likely to occur due to a severe back-up of vehicle or streetcar traffic, a police officer may prohibit or restrict vehicles or streetcars from entering a location or order the driver of a vehicle or streetcar at the location to back up or comply with different traffic rules than those prescribed in Article 8, paragraph (1), or Chapter III, Section 1, 3, or 6, but only so far as is necessary in order to reduce congestion.
On finding the measures prescribed in the preceding paragraph to be insufficient to reduce congestion at a location, a police officer may issue the necessary instructions to relevant persons at the location, but only so far as is necessary to reduce congestion.
警察官は、前項の規定による措置のみによつては、その現場における混雑を緩和することができないと認めるときは、その混雑を緩和するため必要な限度において、その現場にある関係者に対し必要な指示をすることができる。
When there is a risk that a traffic hazard will arise on a road due to road damage, an outbreak of fire, or other circumstances, and a police officer finds there to be an urgent need to prevent a hazard on that road, the officer may temporarily prohibit or restrict the passage of pedestrians, etc. or vehicles or streetcars on that road, but only to the extent necessary.
Cabinet Order provides for the meanings of alternative signals referred to in paragraph (1).
A pedestrian, etc. or the driver of a vehicle or streetcar that is using a road must obey the signals indicated by traffic lights or the alternative signals of an officer (or the alternative signals given in a case as referred to in the second sentence of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article).
Article 8Prohibition and Permission of Entry
第八条（通行の禁止等）
It is prohibited for a pedestrian, etc. or the driver of a vehicle or streetcar to enter onto a road or any part of a road onto which entry is prohibited by a road sign or marking.
Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, if the chief of the police station finds there to be a compelling reason as prescribed by Cabinet Order and grants permission, a vehicle may proceed onto a road or a part of a road onto which entry is prohibited by a road sign or marking.
The chief of the police station must issue a permit when granting the permission prescribed in the preceding paragraph.
警察署長は、前項の許可をしたときは、許可証を交付しなければならない。
The driver of a vehicle issued a permit pursuant to the preceding paragraph must carry that permit at all times when using the road or part of the road for which the permission has been given.
On finding it to be necessary to do so, the chief of the police station may attach conditions when granting a permission as referred to in paragraph (2).
第二項の許可を与える場合において、必要があると認めるときは、警察署長は、当該許可に条件を付することができる。
Cabinet Office Order provides for the format of the permit referred to in paragraph (3) and for necessary particulars concerning the permission referred to in paragraph (2).
Article 9Obligations of the Drivers of Vehicles When Entering onto Pedestrian Paths
第九条（歩行者用道路を通行する車両の義務）
When entering onto a road on which a road sign or marking indicates that vehicular entry has been prohibited so as to ensure the safety and fluidity of pedestrian traffic (referred to in Article 13-2 as a "pedestrian path") after obtaining the permission prescribed in paragraph (2) of the preceding Article or by reason of being exempt from that prohibition, the driver of a vehicle must be particularly careful of pedestrians and drive at a reduced speed.