# 公益通報者保護法 / Whistleblower Protection Act — 第二条 (Article 2)

This is the Markdown twin of https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2. Every law, and how to address a provision: https://japanlaw.org/llms.txt. The same laws as MCP tools (no sign-in): https://japanlaw.org/mcp.

- Law: 公益通報者保護法 (Whistleblower Protection Act), 平成十六年法律第百二十二号
- English title "Whistleblower Protection Act": Ministry of Justice translation
- Kind: Act — the distinction between 法律 (Act), 政令 (Cabinet Order), 省令 (Ministerial Order) and 条例 (local ordinance) decides who may issue it and what it may say.
- Provision: 第二条 (Article 2)（定義） — address `art-2`
- Text in force since: 2026-07-17
- URL (the page that opens at this provision): https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2
- Permanent URL (e-Gov law ID, never renamed): https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2
- Every provision below carries its address and both URLs on the line under it.
- Japanese text: e-Gov 法令検索, Digital Agency (デジタル庁). English: as marked on each line below.

Only the Japanese as published by the government has legal effect; the text
below is a copy of it. Every English rendering below is a translation and
says which kind: the Ministry of Justice's translation, or this
site's machine translation, whose model and date the Sources list names.
They are never merged and never substituted for one another.

---

### 第二条（定義） — (Definitions)
<sup>caption: Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>
<sup>art-2 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2</sup>

**第一項**  この法律において「公益通報」とは、次の各号に掲げる者が、不正の利益を得る目的、他人に損害を加える目的その他の不正の目的でなく、当該各号に定める事業者（法人その他の団体及び事業を行う個人をいう。以下同じ。）（以下「役務提供先」という。）又は当該役務提供先の事業に従事する場合におけるその役員（法人の取締役、執行役、会計参与、監査役、理事、監事及び清算人並びにこれら以外の者で法令（法律及び法律に基づく命令をいう。以下同じ。）の規定に基づき法人の経営に従事している者（会計監査人を除く。）をいう。以下同じ。）、従業員、代理人その他の者について通報対象事実が生じ、又はまさに生じようとしている旨を、当該役務提供先若しくは当該役務提供先があらかじめ定めた者（以下「役務提供先等」という。）、当該通報対象事実について処分（命令、取消しその他公権力の行使に当たる行為をいう。以下同じ。）若しくは勧告等（勧告その他処分に当たらない行為をいう。以下同じ。）をする権限を有する行政機関若しくは当該行政機関があらかじめ定めた者（次条第二号及び第六条第二号において「行政機関等」という。）又はその者に対し当該通報対象事実を通報することがその発生若しくはこれによる被害の拡大を防止するために必要であると認められる者（当該通報対象事実により被害を受け又は受けるおそれがある者を含み、当該役務提供先の競争上の地位その他正当な利益を害するおそれがある者を除く。次条第三号及び第六条第三号において同じ。）に通報することをいう。
<sup>art-2/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-1</sup>
The term "whistleblowing" as used in this Act means a report made by a person stated in the following items with no wrongful purpose such as a purpose of acquiring a wrongful gain or causing damage to others, that a reportable fact that has occurred, or is about to occur, concerning a business operator provided for in the respective items (meaning a corporation or other organization and an individual who engages in business; the same applies below) (referred to below as "recipient of services"), or its officer (meaning a corporate director, executive officer, accounting advisor, corporate auditor, director, inspector, and liquidator, and any other person who is engaged in the management of the corporation (excluding a financial auditor) under the provisions of laws and regulations (meaning laws as well as orders based on them; the same applies below); the same applies below), employee, agent, or other persons engaged in the business of the recipient of services, to the recipient of services or a person designated by the recipient of services in advance (referred to as "recipient of services or other designated person"), to an administrative body with the authority to impose a disposition (meaning an order, revocation, and other acts involving the exercise of public authority; the same applies below) or issue a recommendation, etc. (meaning a recommendation and other acts which are not dispositions; the same applies below) with regard to the reportable fact, or a person designated by the administrative body in advance (referred to as "administrative body or other designated person" in item (ii) of the following Article and Article 6, item (ii)), or to a person to whom reporting the reportable fact is considered necessary in order to prevent their occurrence or the spread of damage caused by them (including persons who suffered or are likely to suffer damage because of the reportable fact, but excluding persons who are likely to cause harm to the competitive position or other legitimate interests of the recipient of services; the same applies in item (iii) of the following Article and Article 6, item (iii)).
<sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

  **一**  労働者（労働基準法（昭和二十二年法律第四十九号）第九条に規定する労働者をいう。以下同じ。）又は労働者であった者　当該労働者又は労働者であった者を自ら使用し、又は当該通報の日前一年以内に自ら使用していた事業者（次号に定める事業者を除く。）
  <sup>art-2/par-1/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-1/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-1/item-1</sup>
  a worker (meaning a worker as provided for in Article 9 of the Labor Standards Act (Act No. 49 of 1947); the same applies below) or a former worker:a business operator that employs the worker or former worker, or that employed the worker or the former worker within one year before the date of the report (excluding business operators provided for in the following item);
  <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

  **二**  派遣労働者（労働者派遣事業の適正な運営の確保及び派遣労働者の保護等に関する法律（昭和六十年法律第八十八号。第四条において「労働者派遣法」という。）第二条第二号に規定する派遣労働者をいう。以下同じ。）又は派遣労働者であった者　当該派遣労働者又は派遣労働者であった者に係る労働者派遣（同条第一号に規定する労働者派遣をいう。第四条及び第五条第二項において同じ。）の役務の提供を受け、又は当該通報の日前一年以内に受けていた事業者
  <sup>art-2/par-1/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-1/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-1/item-2</sup>
  a dispatched worker (meaning a dispatched worker as prescribed in Article 2, item (ii) of the Act on Ensuring the Proper Operation of Worker Dispatching Services and Protecting Dispatched Workers (Act No. 88 of 1985; referred to as the "Worker Dispatching Act" in Article 4); the same applies below) or a former dispatched worker: the business operator that receives, or received within one year before the date of the relevant report, the services of worker dispatch (meaning worker dispatch as prescribed in item (i) of the same Article; the same applies in Article 4 and Article 5, paragraph (2)) related to the relevant dispatched worker or the former dispatched worker;
  <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

  **三**  前二号に定める事業者が他の事業者との請負契約その他の契約に基づいて事業を行い、又は行っていた場合において、当該事業に従事し、又は当該通報の日前一年以内に従事していた労働者若しくは労働者であった者又は派遣労働者若しくは派遣労働者であった者　当該他の事業者
  <sup>art-2/par-1/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-1/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-1/item-3</sup>
  a worker or a former worker, or a dispatched worker or a former dispatched worker, who is or was engaged in the business within one year before the date of the report, when a business operator specified in the preceding two items conducts or conducted the business based on a contract for work or other contract with another business operator: the relevant other business operator;
  <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

  **四**  役員　次に掲げる事業者
  <sup>art-2/par-1/item-4 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-1/item-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-1/item-4</sup>
  an officer: the following business operators:
  <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

    **イ**  当該役員に職務を行わせる事業者
    <sup>art-2/par-1/item-4/sub-1 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-1/item-4/sub-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-1/item-4/sub-1</sup>
    a business operator that has the officer perform duties;
    <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

    **ロ**  イに掲げる事業者が他の事業者との請負契約その他の契約に基づいて事業を行う場合において、当該役員が当該事業に従事するときにおける当該他の事業者
    <sup>art-2/par-1/item-4/sub-2 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-1/item-4/sub-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-1/item-4/sub-2</sup>
    another business operator if the business operator stated in (a) engages in business based on a contract for work or other contract with that other business operator and the officer is engaged in the business.
    <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

**第二項**  この法律において「公益通報者」とは、公益通報をした者をいう。
<sup>art-2/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-2</sup>
The term "whistleblower" as used in this Act means a person who has conducted whistleblowing.
<sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

**第三項**  この法律において「通報対象事実」とは、次の各号のいずれかの事実をいう。
<sup>art-2/par-3 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-3</sup>
The term "reportable fact" as used in this Act means any of the facts listed in the following items:
<sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

  **一**  この法律及び個人の生命又は身体の保護、消費者の利益の擁護、環境の保全、公正な競争の確保その他の国民の生命、身体、財産その他の利益の保護に関わる法律として別表に掲げるもの（これらの法律に基づく命令を含む。以下この項において同じ。）に規定する罪の犯罪行為の事実又はこの法律及び同表に掲げる法律に規定する過料の理由とされている事実
  <sup>art-2/par-3/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-3/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-3/item-1</sup>
  the facts of criminal acts constituting the crimes provided for in this Act and in the laws listed in the Appended Table (including orders based on those laws; the same applies in this paragraph) as those concerning the protection of the life or physical wellbeing of an individual, or the interests of consumers, the conservation of the environment, the protection of fair competition, or the protection of the life, physical wellbeing, property, or other interests of the citizens; or the facts constituting the grounds for a civil fine provided for in this Act and the laws stated in the Appended Table; or
  <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

  **二**  別表に掲げる法律の規定に基づく処分に違反することが前号に掲げる事実となる場合における当該処分の理由とされている事実（当該処分の理由とされている事実が同表に掲げる法律の規定に基づく他の処分に違反し、又は勧告等に従わない事実である場合における当該他の処分又は勧告等の理由とされている事実を含む。）
  <sup>art-2/par-3/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-3/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-3/item-2</sup>
  the facts constituting the grounds for a disposition based on the provisions of the laws listed in the Appended Table, if the violation of the disposition constitutes the facts stated in the preceding item (including the facts constituting the grounds for issuing any other disposition, or grounds for issuing a recommendation, etc., if the facts constituting the grounds for the disposition constitute the violation of any other disposition based on the provisions of any of the laws listed in the Appended Table or the non-compliance with a recommendation, etc.).
  <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

**第四項**  この法律において「行政機関」とは、次に掲げる機関をいう。
<sup>art-2/par-4 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-4</sup>
The term "administrative body" as used in this Act means any of the following organizations:
<sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

  **一**  内閣府、宮内庁、内閣府設置法（平成十一年法律第八十九号）第四十九条第一項若しくは第二項に規定する機関、デジタル庁、国家行政組織法（昭和二十三年法律第百二十号）第三条第二項に規定する機関、法律の規定に基づき内閣の所轄の下に置かれる機関若しくはこれらに置かれる機関又はこれらの機関の職員であって法律上独立に権限を行使することを認められた職員
  <sup>art-2/par-4/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-4/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-4/item-1</sup>
  Cabinet Office, the Imperial Household Agency, organizations provided for in Article 49, paragraph (1) or (2) of the Act for Establishment of the Cabinet Office (Act No. 89 of 1999), the Digital Agency, organizations provided for in Article 3, paragraph (2) of the National Government Organization Act (Act No. 120 of 1948), organizations under the jurisdiction of the Cabinet which were established pursuant to laws, organizations established within one of these organizations, or the employees of those organizations who are authorized by laws to independently exercise their authority; and
  <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

  **二**  地方公共団体の機関（議会を除く。）
  <sup>art-2/par-4/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-4/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-4/item-2</sup>
  organizations (excluding assemblies) of local governments.
  <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

---

## Cites
- art-2/par-1: 次条第二号 → 公益通報者保護法 第三条第一項第二号 (Article 3, paragraph (1), item (ii)), art-3/par-1/item-2 — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-2
- art-2/par-1: 第六条第二号 → 公益通報者保護法 第六条第一項第二号 (Article 6, paragraph (1), item (ii)), art-6/par-1/item-2 — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-6/par-1/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-6/par-1/item-2
- art-2/par-1: 次条第三号 → 公益通報者保護法 第三条第一項第三号 (Article 3, paragraph (1), item (iii)), art-3/par-1/item-3 — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-3
- art-2/par-1: 第六条第三号 → 公益通報者保護法 第六条第一項第三号 (Article 6, paragraph (1), item (iii)), art-6/par-1/item-3 — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-6/par-1/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-6/par-1/item-3
- art-2/par-1/item-1: 労働基準法（昭和二十二年法律第四十九号）第九条 → 労働基準法 第九条 (Article 9), art-9 — https://japanlaw.org/en/labor-standards-act/art-9 · https://japanlaw.org/l/322AC0000000049/art-9
- art-2/par-1/item-1: 次号 → 公益通報者保護法 第二条第一項第二号 (Article 2, paragraph (1), item (ii)), art-2/par-1/item-2 — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-1/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-1/item-2
- art-2/par-1/item-2: 第四条 → 公益通報者保護法 第四条 (Article 4), art-4 — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-4
- art-2/par-1/item-2: 第二条第二号 → 労働者派遣事業の適正な運営の確保及び派遣労働者の保護等に関する法律 第二条第一項第二号 (Article 2, paragraph (1), item (ii)), art-2/par-1/item-2 — https://japanlaw.org/en/worker-dispatch-act/art-2/par-1/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/360AC0000000088/art-2/par-1/item-2
- art-2/par-1/item-2: 同条第一号 → 労働者派遣事業の適正な運営の確保及び派遣労働者の保護等に関する法律 第二条第一項第一号 (Article 2, paragraph (1), item (i)), art-2/par-1/item-1 — https://japanlaw.org/en/worker-dispatch-act/art-2/par-1/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/360AC0000000088/art-2/par-1/item-1
- art-2/par-1/item-2: 第五条第二項 → 公益通報者保護法 第五条第二項 (Article 5, paragraph (2)), art-5/par-2 — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-5/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-5/par-2
- art-2/par-1/item-3: 前二号 → 公益通報者保護法 第二条第一項第一号 (Article 2, paragraph (1), item (i)), art-2/par-1/item-1 — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-1/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-1/item-1
- art-2/par-1/item-3: 前二号 → 公益通報者保護法 第二条第一項第二号 (Article 2, paragraph (1), item (ii)), art-2/par-1/item-2 — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-1/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-1/item-2
- art-2/par-3/item-1: この項 → 公益通報者保護法 第二条第三項 (Article 2, paragraph (3)), art-2/par-3 — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-3
- art-2/par-3/item-2: 前号 → 公益通報者保護法 第二条第三項第一号 (Article 2, paragraph (3), item (i)), art-2/par-3/item-1 — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-3/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-3/item-1
- art-2/par-4/item-1: 内閣府設置法（平成十一年法律第八十九号）第四十九条第一項 → e-Gov law 411AC0000000089, 第四十九条第一項 (Article 49, paragraph (1)), art-49/par-1 — not held in this collection
- art-2/par-4/item-1: 第二項 → e-Gov law 411AC0000000089, 第四十九条第二項 (Article 49, paragraph (2)), art-49/par-2 — not held in this collection
- art-2/par-4/item-1: 国家行政組織法（昭和二十三年法律第百二十号）第三条第二項 → e-Gov law 323AC0000000120, 第三条第二項 (Article 3, paragraph (2)), art-3/par-2 — not held in this collection

## Cited by

18 provisions cite this one. No official source publishes this direction.

- 公益通報者保護法 第二条第一項第一号（定義） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-1/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-1/item-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第二条第一項第三号（定義） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-1/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-1/item-3
- 公益通報者保護法 第二条第三項第一号（定義） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-3/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-3/item-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第二条第三項第二号（定義） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-3/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-3/item-2
- 公益通報者保護法 第三条第一項（解雇の無効） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第四条第一項（労働者派遣契約の解除の無効） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-4/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-4/par-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第五条第一項（不利益取扱いの禁止） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-5/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-5/par-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第五条第二項（不利益取扱いの禁止） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-5/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-5/par-2
- 公益通報者保護法 第五条第三項（不利益取扱いの禁止） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-5/par-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-5/par-3
- 公益通報者保護法 第六条第一項（役員を解任された場合の損害賠償請求） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-6/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-6/par-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第七条第一項（損害賠償の制限） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-7/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-7/par-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第八条第一項（解釈規定） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-8/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-8/par-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第八条第四項（解釈規定） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-8/par-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-8/par-4
- 公益通報者保護法 第九条第一項（一般職の国家公務員等に対する取扱い） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-9/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-9/par-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第十三条第二項（行政機関がとるべき措置） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-13/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-13/par-2
- 公益通報者保護法 第十三条第三項（行政機関がとるべき措置） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/art-13/par-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-13/par-3
- 公益通報者保護法 附則第二条第一項（経過措置） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/suppl-5021-51/art-2/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/suppl-5021-51/art-2/par-1
- 公益通報者保護法 附則第五条第一項（検討） — https://japanlaw.org/en/whistleblower-protection-act/suppl-5021-51/art-5/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/suppl-5021-51/art-5/par-1

---

## Sources

- e-Gov 法令検索, Digital Agency (デジタル庁) — 公益通報者保護法 — the text in force from 2026-07-17 (https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/416AC0000000122/20260717_508AC0000000062), retrieved 2026-10-26
- Japanese Law Translation Database System, Ministry of Justice (法務省) — Whistleblower Protection Act — Ministry of Justice translation (https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/5109/tb), retrieved 2026-10-26
- claude-sonnet-5-5 — Machine translation, batch whistleblower-protection-act-20261026T133420-001, translated 2026-10-26
- claude-sonnet-5-5, corrected on review by claude-opus-5-5 — Machine translation corrected on review, batch whistleblower-protection-act-20261026T133420-001, translated 2026-10-26
- This site's parser, version 218 — 公益通報者保護法 — structure, counts, cross-references and defined terms, computed 2026-10-26