①If the Investigation Commission finds it necessary to do so in order to implement an Investigation or Evaluation, it may entrust an incorporated administrative agency as provided in Article 2, paragraph (1) of the Act on General Rules for Incorporated Administrative Agencies (Act No. 103 of 1999), a general incorporated association or general incorporated foundation, an Enterprise or other private-sector entity, or a person with the relevant knowledge and experience, with part of the administrative processes for implementing the investigation or research in an Investigation or Evaluation.

②It is prohibited for a person entrusted with administrative processes pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, its officer or personnel, or a person that has held one of these positions to divulge any confidential information learned in the course of the administrative processes entrusted thereto.

③A person entrusted with administrative processes pursuant to paragraph (1), or the officer or personnel in charge of the administrative processes under entrustment, is deemed to be an official engaged in public services pursuant to laws and regulations, for the purpose of applying the Penal Code and other penal provisions.

If the Prime Minister is notified with information about the occurrence of an Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm pursuant to Article 12, paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) or is otherwise informed of the occurrence of an Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm, the Prime Minister must promptly report this to the Investigation Commission.

①If the Investigation Commission finds it necessary to do so in order for it to Investigate the Cause or Source of an actual or potential accident, it may ask the Prime Minister to assist it with fact finding, to assist it with collecting materials, or to provide it with any other assistance it needs in connection with an Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm.

②If the Prime Minister finds it necessary to do so after being asked to provide assistance under provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Prime Minister may have the relevant officials take the administrative measures set forth in Article 23, paragraph (2), item (ii).

③If the Prime Minister finds it necessary to do so after learning of the occurrence of an Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm, the Prime Minister must engage in fact finding, collect materials, or take any other appropriate measures in connection with an Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm so that the Investigation Commission can commence an Investigation into the Cause or Source thereof smoothly.

④If the Prime Minister finds it necessary to do so in order to take a measure under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Prime Minister may have the relevant officials take an administrative measure set forth in one of the items of Article 23, paragraph (2).

⑤The provisions of Article 23, paragraph (4) and paragraph (5) apply mutatis mutandis if an official takes an administrative measure pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (2) or the preceding paragraph.

①Any person that considers an Investigation or Evaluation to be necessary in order to prevent instances of bodily harm from occurring or increasing may submit a filing asserting this to the Investigation Commission and ask it to implement an Investigation or Evaluation. To do so, the person must include a document that gives the details of the Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm to which the filing pertains, details the necessity of the Investigation or Evaluation, and gives the particulars provided by Cabinet Office Order, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

②Having received a filing under the preceding paragraph, the Investigation Commission must make the necessary reviews and implement an Investigation or Evaluation if it finds this necessary based on the results thereof.

③If the victim submits a filing pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), or if the victim has died or suffers from a serious physical or mental disorder and the victim's spouse, lineal relative, or sibling (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Victim or Family Member" in this paragraph) submits a filing pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), and the filing relates to an accident as set forth in Article 2, paragraph (7), item (i) in which the filer has personally sustained an injury or contracted an illness or in which the filer's spouse, lineal relative, or sibling has died, sustained an injury, or contracted an illness, the Investigation Commission must notify the Victim or Family Member promptly if it decides to implement the Investigation or Evaluation; and if it decides not to implement an Investigation or Evaluation, it must notify the Victim or Family Member of this promptly, giving the reason therefor.

①If the Investigation Commission is informed that an Actual or Potential Serious Accident has occurred through a filing under paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, it must notify the Prime Minister of this, give the Prime Minister an outline of the Actual or Potential Serious Accident, and notify the Prime Minister of the particulars provided by Cabinet Office Order, immediately and pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

②If the Investigation Commission is informed that an Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm (other than an Actual or Potential Serious Accident) has occurred through a filing under paragraph (1) of the preceding Article and finds it to be likely, in light of the form of the Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm, the characteristics of the good or product or the service involved in the Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm, and other circumstances of the Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm, that instances of harm from the Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm will increase or that the same or a similar type of Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm will occur, it must notify the Prime Minister that the Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm has occurred, give the Prime Minister an outline of the Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm, and notify the Prime Minister of the particulars provided by Cabinet Office Order, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

③The provisions of the preceding two paragraphs do not apply if the Investigation Commission receives the filing under the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article from a person that is required to notify the Prime Minister under the provisions of Article 12, paragraph (1) or paragraph (2).

The Investigation Commission must give Persons Linked to the Cause or Source of an actual or potential accident the opportunity to express their opinions before completing the Investigation into the Cause or Source thereof.

①The Investigation Commission must compile a written report giving the following information about an Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm, submit it to the Prime Minister, and disclose it to the public, after completing the Investigation into the Cause or Source:

②In compiling a written report as referred to in the preceding paragraph, the Investigation Commission is to add a supplementary note to the report detailing any minority opinion.

③If the Investigation Commission finds it necessary to do so because of circumstances that are expected to make it difficult to complete the Investigation into the Cause or Source of an actual or potential accident within one year from commencing it or due to any other reason, it is to report on the progression of the Investigation into the Cause or Source to the Prime Minister and disclose this to the public even before completing the Investigation into the Cause or Source.

①Once the Investigation Commission completes an Investigation or Evaluation, it may recommend that the Prime Minister create policies or take measures to prevent instances of bodily harm from occurring or increasing if it finds this necessary.

②The Prime Minister must notify the Investigation Commission of any policy created or measure taken based on a recommendation under the preceding paragraph.

If the Investigation Commission finds it necessary to do so with a view to Ensuring Consumer Safety, it may state an opinion to the Prime Minister or to the head of the relevant administrative organ with regard to the policies that should be created or the measures that should be taken to prevent instances of harm from an Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm from increasing or to prevent the same or a similar type of Actual or Potential Accident Involving Bodily Harm from occurring.

In implementing an Investigation or Evaluation, the Investigation Commission is to remain fully considerate of the feelings of the victims and their families or survivors, and is to provide them with information about the Investigation or Evaluation in a timely and appropriate manner.

If the Investigation Commission finds it necessary to do so in order for it to perform the administrative processes under its jurisdiction, it may ask the Head of the Relevant Administrative Organ to provide materials, state an opinion, or implement any analysis or inspection necessary to clarify the Cause or Source of an actual or potential accident, or to otherwise provide it with necessary cooperation.

Anything beyond what is provided for in this Act which needs to be prescribed with regard to the Investigation Commission is provided by Cabinet Order.

No person is to be subjected to a discharge from employment or other adverse treatment on the grounds of having acted in conformity with an administrative measure under the provisions of Article 23, paragraph (2) or paragraph (3) or Article 27, paragraph (2) or paragraph (4), or on the grounds of having made a filing pursuant to the provisions of Article 28, paragraph (1).