第一条（目的）
The purposes of this Act are to improve health and medical care and to enhance the welfare of citizens. With regard to people who are under condition of need for long-term care due to disease, etc., as a result of physical or emotional changes caused by aging, and who require care such as for bathing, bodily waste elimination, meals, etc., and require the functional training, nursing, management of medical treatment, and other medical care, these purposes are to be accomplished by establishing a long-term care insurance system based on the principle of the cooperation of citizens, solidarity, and determining necessary matters concerning related insurance benefits, etc., in order to provide benefits pertaining to necessary health and medical services and public aid services so that these people are able to maintain dignity and an independent daily life routine according to each person's own level of abilities.
この法律は、加齢に伴って生ずる心身の変化に起因する疾病等により要介護状態となり、入浴、排せつ、食事等の介護、機能訓練並びに看護及び療養上の管理その他の医療を要する者等について、これらの者が尊厳を保持し、その有する能力に応じ自立した日常生活を営むことができるよう、必要な保健医療サービス及び福祉サービスに係る給付を行うため、国民の共同連帯の理念に基づき介護保険制度を設け、その行う保険給付等に関して必要な事項を定め、もって国民の保健医療の向上及び福祉の増進を図ることを目的とする。
Article 2Long-Term Care Insurance
第二条（介護保険）
Long-Term Care Insurance provides necessary insurance benefits for a Condition of Need for Long-Term Care or for a Needed Support Condition (herein referred to as a "Condition of Need for Long-Term Care, etc.") of the insured person.
Insurance benefits as set forth in the preceding paragraph are provided in order to contribute to reduction or prevention of aggravation of a Condition of Need for Long-Term Care, etc., and must be provided with careful attention to cooperation with medical care.
Insurance benefits as set forth in paragraph (1) must be provided in consideration of the appropriate health and medical services and public aid services that are offered by diverse providers and facilities comprehensively and effectively, according to the physical and mental conditions of the insured person, said person's environment, etc., and based on the preferences of the insured person.
第一項の保険給付は、被保険者の心身の状況、その置かれている環境等に応じて、被保険者の選択に基づき、適切な保健医療サービス及び福祉サービスが、多様な事業者又は施設から、総合的かつ効率的に提供されるよう配慮して行われなければならない。
With regard to the contents and level of insurance benefits as set forth in paragraph (1), consideration must be made so that said person is able to live an independent daily life according to that person's own abilities in his or her home as much as possible, although said insured person becomes in a Condition of Need for Long-Term Care.
第三条（保険者）
Municipalities and special city wards shall provide Long-Term Care Insurance pursuant to the provisions of this Act.
市町村及び特別区は、この法律の定めるところにより、介護保険を行うものとする。
Municipalities and special city wards are to establish a special account for income and expenses regarding Long-Term Care Insurance pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Orders.
市町村及び特別区は、介護保険に関する収入及び支出について、政令で定めるところにより、特別会計を設けなければならない。
Article 4Citizen's Efforts and Obligations
第四条（国民の努力及び義務）
A citizen must be aware of his or her physical and mental changes due to aging and shall always strive to maintain and enhance good health in order to prevent becoming in a Condition of Need for Long-Term Care. In a case of becoming in a Condition of Need for Long-Term Care, a citizen is to strive to maintain and improve his or her existing abilities through the willing use of rehabilitation and other appropriate health and medical services and public aid services.
国民は、自ら要介護状態となることを予防するため、加齢に伴って生ずる心身の変化を自覚して常に健康の保持増進に努めるとともに、要介護状態となった場合においても、進んでリハビリテーションその他の適切な保健医療サービス及び福祉サービスを利用することにより、その有する能力の維持向上に努めるものとする。
Citizens are to be equally subjected to the expenses necessary for an Insured Long-Term Care Project, based on the principle of cooperation and solidarity.
国民は、共同連帯の理念に基づき、介護保険事業に要する費用を公平に負担するものとする。
Article 5Responsibilities of the National and Local Governments
第五条（国及び地方公共団体の責務）
The national government must undertake measures to ensure the system of providing health and medical services and public aid services, and every other necessary action for the healthy and efficient operation of an Insured Long-Term Care Project.
国は、介護保険事業の運営が健全かつ円滑に行われるよう保健医療サービス及び福祉サービスを提供する体制の確保に関する施策その他の必要な各般の措置を講じなければならない。
Prefectural governments must provide necessary advice and appropriate support for the healthy and efficient operation of an Insured Long-Term Care Project.
都道府県は、介護保険事業の運営が健全かつ円滑に行われるように、必要な助言及び適切な援助をしなければならない。
In providing the advice and assistance set forth in the preceding paragraph, a prefecture must endeavor to promote initiatives that contribute to improving productivity, such as improving the efficiency of operations and improving the quality of Long-Term Care Services at Business Offices or facilities that provide Long-Term Care Services.
都道府県は、前項の助言及び援助をするに当たっては、介護サービスを提供する事業所又は施設における業務の効率化、介護サービスの質の向上その他の生産性の向上に資する取組が促進されるよう努めなければならない。
The national government and local governments must endeavor to comprehensively promote, while ensuring organic cooperation with measures concerning medical care and housing, measures concerning health and medical services and welfare services pertaining to insurance benefits, measures for preventing a person from falling into a Condition of Need for Long-Term Care, etc. or for reducing or preventing deterioration of a Condition of Need for Long-Term Care, etc., and measures for supporting independent daily life in the community, so that an Insured Person can, to the extent possible, lead an independent daily life in the community in which he or she is accustomed to living, according to his or her abilities.
国及び地方公共団体は、被保険者が、可能な限り、住み慣れた地域でその有する能力に応じ自立した日常生活を営むことができるよう、保険給付に係る保健医療サービス及び福祉サービスに関する施策、要介護状態等となることの予防又は要介護状態等の軽減若しくは悪化の防止のための施策並びに地域における自立した日常生活の支援のための施策を、医療及び居住に関する施策との有機的な連携を図りつつ包括的に推進するよう努めなければならない。
In comprehensively promoting the measures listed in the preceding paragraph pursuant to the provisions of that paragraph, the national government and local governments must endeavor to ensure organic cooperation with measures concerning the welfare of persons with disabilities and other persons, and must endeavor to contribute to the realization of a community in which local residents respect one another's personalities and individuality, and participate and live together.
Article 5-2Comprehensive Promotion, etc. of Measures Concerning Dementia
第五条の二（認知症に関する施策の総合的な推進等）
The national government and local governments must endeavor to deepen the public's interest in and understanding of Dementia (meaning a condition specified by Cabinet Order in which cognitive function has declined to the extent that daily life is impaired due to Alzheimer's disease or other neurodegenerative diseases, cerebrovascular disease or other diseases; the same applies hereinafter), and to disseminate knowledge about and raise awareness of Dementia so that support for persons with Dementia is provided appropriately.
国及び地方公共団体は、認知症（アルツハイマー病その他の神経変性疾患、脳血管疾患その他の疾患により日常生活に支障が生じる程度にまで認知機能が低下した状態として政令で定める状態をいう。以下同じ。）に対する国民の関心及び理解を深め、認知症である者への支援が適切に行われるよう、認知症に関する知識の普及及び啓発に努めなければならない。
In order to provide Insured Persons with appropriate health and medical services and welfare services pertaining to Dementia, the national government and local governments must endeavor, in cooperation with research institutions, medical institutions, Long-Term Care Service Providers (meaning Long-Term Care Service Providers prescribed in Article 115-32, paragraph (1)), etc., to promote survey and research on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Dementia and on rehabilitation and long-term care methods suited to the physical and mental characteristics of persons with Dementia, and must endeavor to disseminate, utilize and develop the results.
国及び地方公共団体は、被保険者に対して認知症に係る適切な保健医療サービス及び福祉サービスを提供するため、研究機関、医療機関、介護サービス事業者（第百十五条の三十二第一項に規定する介護サービス事業者をいう。）等と連携し、認知症の予防、診断及び治療並びに認知症である者の心身の特性に応じたリハビリテーション及び介護方法に関する調査研究の推進に努めるとともに、その成果を普及し、活用し、及び発展させるよう努めなければならない。
The national government and local governments must endeavor to comprehensively promote measures concerning Dementia, such as developing a support system for persons with Dementia in the community and taking measures necessary to support persons who actually provide care for persons with Dementia and to secure, and improve the quality of, human resources involved in supporting persons with Dementia.
国及び地方公共団体は、地域における認知症である者への支援体制を整備すること、認知症である者を現に介護する者の支援並びに認知症である者の支援に係る人材の確保及び資質の向上を図るために必要な措置を講ずることその他の認知症に関する施策を総合的に推進するよう努めなければならない。
In promoting the measures under the preceding three paragraphs, the national government and local governments must endeavor to give consideration to respecting the wishes of persons with Dementia and their families, and to enable persons with Dementia to live together with other people in the community while maintaining their dignity.
Article 6Cooperation of Medical Insurers
第六条（医療保険者の協力）
Medical insurers must cooperate for the healthy and efficient operation of an Insured Long-Term Care Project.
医療保険者は、介護保険事業が健全かつ円滑に行われるよう協力しなければならない。
第七条（定義）
The term "Condition of Need for Long-Term Care" as used in this Act means a condition assumed to require care on a continual and steady basis for the whole or a part of basic movements in daily activities such as bathing, bodily waste elimination, meals, etc., due to physical or mental problems during the period specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, and said condition that conforms to any of the categories stipulated by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare according to the degree of needed care (herein referred to as a "Category of Condition of Need for Long-Term Care") (except when said condition is subject to a Needed Support Condition).
この法律において「要介護状態」とは、身体上又は精神上の障害があるために、入浴、排せつ、食事等の日常生活における基本的な動作の全部又は一部について、厚生労働省令で定める期間にわたり継続して、常時介護を要すると見込まれる状態であって、その介護の必要の程度に応じて厚生労働省令で定める区分（以下「要介護状態区分」という。）のいずれかに該当するもの（要支援状態に該当するものを除く。）をいう。
The term "Needed Support Condition" as used in this Act means a condition assumed to require care on a continual and steady basis during the period specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare that especially contributes to the reduction or prevention of the aggravation of the condition requiring care for the whole or a part of basic movements in daily activities such as bathing, bodily waste elimination, meals, etc., due to physical or mental problems, or a condition assumed to cause continual difficulties in performing daily activities due to physical or mental problems during the period specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, and said condition that conforms to any category as stipulated by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare according to the degree of needed support (herein referred to as "Category of Needed Support Condition").
この法律において「要支援状態」とは、身体上若しくは精神上の障害があるために入浴、排せつ、食事等の日常生活における基本的な動作の全部若しくは一部について厚生労働省令で定める期間にわたり継続して常時介護を要する状態の軽減若しくは悪化の防止に特に資する支援を要すると見込まれ、又は身体上若しくは精神上の障害があるために厚生労働省令で定める期間にわたり継続して日常生活を営むのに支障があると見込まれる状態であって、支援の必要の程度に応じて厚生労働省令で定める区分（以下「要支援状態区分」という。）のいずれかに該当するものをいう。
The term "Person Requiring Long-Term Care" as used in this Act means a person defined by any of the following items:
この法律において「要介護者」とは、次の各号のいずれかに該当する者をいう。
a person that is in a Condition of Need for Long-Term Care and is the age of 65 or older;
要介護状態にある六十五歳以上の者
a person that is in a Condition of Need for Long-Term Care and is the age of 40 to less than the age of 65, and the physical or mental problems that are the causes of said Condition of Need for Long-Term Care are a result of diseases that are caused by the physical or mental changes due to aging, specified by a Cabinet Order (herein referred to as "Specified Disease").
要介護状態にある四十歳以上六十五歳未満の者であって、その要介護状態の原因である身体上又は精神上の障害が加齢に伴って生ずる心身の変化に起因する疾病であって政令で定めるもの（以下「特定疾病」という。）によって生じたものであるもの
The term "Person Requiring Support" as used in this Act means a person defined by any of the following items:
この法律において「要支援者」とは、次の各号のいずれかに該当する者をいう。
a person that is in a Needed Support Condition and is the age of 65 or older;
要支援状態にある六十五歳以上の者
a person that is in a Needed Support Condition and is the age of 40 to less than the age of 65, and the physical or mental problems that are the cause of said Needed Support Condition are caused by a Specified Disease.
The term "Long-Term Care Support Specialist" as used in this Act means a person that provides consultation to a Person Requiring Long-Term Care or to a Person Requiring Support (herein referred to as a "Person Requiring Long-Term Care, etc."), and communicates with and coordinates Municipalities, a person performing In-Home Service Business, a person performing Community-Based Service Business, a Facility Covered by Long-Term Care Insurance, a person performing Preventive Long-Term Care Service Business, a person performing Community-Based Preventive Long-Term Care Business, a person performing a Specified Comprehensive Project for Long-Term Care Prevention and Daily Life Support, etc., in order for a Person Requiring Long-Term Care, etc., to be able to use appropriate In-Home Service, Community-Based Service, Facility Service, Preventive Long-Term Care Service or Community-Based Service for Preventive Long-Term Care, or a Specified Comprehensive Project for Long-Term Care Prevention and Daily Life Support (meaning the category 1 home-visit project prescribed in Article 115-45, paragraph (1), item (i), (a), the category 1 outpatient project prescribed in (b) of that item, or the category 1 daily life support project prescribed in (c) of that item; the same applies hereinafter) according to the mental and physical conditions, etc., of a Person Requiring Long-Term Care, etc., and who received Long-Term Care Support Specialist Certification as set forth in Article 69-7, paragraph (1) as a person possessing professional knowledge and skills regarding support necessary for a Person Requiring Long-Term Care, etc., to live an independent daily life.
この法律において「介護支援専門員」とは、要介護者又は要支援者（以下「要介護者等」という。）からの相談に応じ、及び要介護者等がその心身の状況等に応じ適切な居宅サービス、地域密着型サービス、施設サービス、介護予防サービス若しくは地域密着型介護予防サービス又は特定介護予防・日常生活支援総合事業（第百十五条の四十五第一項第一号イに規定する第一号訪問事業、同号ロに規定する第一号通所事業又は同号ハに規定する第一号生活支援事業をいう。以下同じ。）を利用できるよう市町村、居宅サービス事業を行う者、地域密着型サービス事業を行う者、介護保険施設、介護予防サービス事業を行う者、地域密着型介護予防サービス事業を行う者、特定介護予防・日常生活支援総合事業を行う者等との連絡調整等を行う者であって、要介護者等が自立した日常生活を営むのに必要な援助に関する専門的知識及び技術を有するものとして第六十九条の七第一項の介護支援専門員証の交付を受けたものをいう。
The term "Medical Insurance Acts" as used in this Act means the following acts:
この法律において「医療保険各法」とは、次に掲げる法律をいう。
Seaman's Insurance Act (Act No. 73 of 1939);
船員保険法（昭和十四年法律第七十三号）
National Public Servants Mutual Aid Association Act (Act No. 128 of 1958);
国家公務員共済組合法（昭和三十三年法律第百二十八号）
Local Public Service Mutual Aid Association Act (Act No. 152 of 1962);
地方公務員等共済組合法（昭和三十七年法律第百五十二号）
Private School Personnel Mutual Aid Association Act (Act No. 245 of 1953).
私立学校教職員共済法（昭和二十八年法律第二百四十五号）
The term "medical insurer" as used in this Act means the Japan Health Insurance Association, health insurance societies, prefectures and Municipalities (including special city wards), National Health Insurance Societies, mutual aid Associations, or the Promotion and Mutual Aid Society for Private Schools of Japan that provide medical benefits pursuant to the provisions of the Medical Insurance Acts.
この法律において「医療保険者」とは、医療保険各法の規定により医療に関する給付を行う全国健康保険協会、健康保険組合、都道府県及び市町村（特別区を含む。）、国民健康保険組合、共済組合又は日本私立学校振興・共済事業団をいう。
The term "Medical Insurance Subscriber" as used in this Act means the following persons:
この法律において「医療保険加入者」とは、次に掲げる者をいう。
an insured person pursuant to the provisions of the Health Insurance Act, however, provided that this does not apply to specially-insured day laborers pursuant to the provision of Article 3, paragraph (2) of the same Act;
an insured person pursuant to the provisions of the Seaman's Insurance Act;
船員保険法の規定による被保険者
an insured person pursuant to the provisions of the National Health Insurance Act;
国民健康保険法の規定による被保険者
a member of a mutual aid association pursuant to the National Public Servants Mutual Aid Association Act or the Local Public Service Mutual Aid Association Act;
国家公務員共済組合法又は地方公務員等共済組合法に基づく共済組合の組合員
a subscriber to a Private School Personnel Mutual Aid System pursuant to the provisions of the Private School Personnel Mutual Aid Association Act;
私立学校教職員共済法の規定による私立学校教職員共済制度の加入者
an insured person's dependent pursuant to the provisions of the Health Insurance Act, Seaman's Insurance Act, National Public Servants Mutual Aid Association Act (including cases when applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to other Acts), or the Local Public Service Mutual Aid Association Act, however, provided that this does not apply to a dependent pursuant to the provisions of Article 3, paragraph (2) of the Health Insurance Act of a specially-insured day laborer pursuant to the provisions of the same Act;
健康保険法、船員保険法、国家公務員共済組合法（他の法律において準用する場合を含む。）又は地方公務員等共済組合法の規定による被扶養者。ただし、健康保険法第三条第二項の規定による日雇特例被保険者の同法の規定による被扶養者を除く。
a person that received a specially-insured day laborer certificate book pursuant to the provisions of Article 126 of the Health Insurance Act and within a certain period until the term when all of the blank space for stamps for proof of health insurance of said certificate book are filled, and said dependent pursuant to the provisions of the same Act, however, provided that this does not apply to a person that is within the period when said person is not a specially-insured day laborer pursuant to the provision of Article 3, paragraph (2) of the same Act with the approval pursuant to the proviso of the same paragraph, and a person that has returned said specially-insured day laborer certificate book pursuant to the provisions of Article 126, paragraph (3) of the same Act, and said dependent pursuant to the provisions of the same Act.
健康保険法第百二十六条の規定により日雇特例被保険者手帳の交付を受け、その手帳に健康保険印紙をはり付けるべき余白がなくなるに至るまでの間にある者及び同法の規定によるその者の被扶養者。ただし、同法第三条第二項ただし書の規定による承認を受けて同項の規定による日雇特例被保険者とならない期間内にある者及び同法第百二十六条第三項の規定により当該日雇特例被保険者手帳を返納した者並びに同法の規定によるその者の被扶養者を除く。
The term "social insurance Acts" as used in this Act means the following Acts:
この法律において「社会保険各法」とは、次に掲げる法律をいう。
This Act;
この法律
The Acts listed in the items of paragraph (6) (excluding item (iv));