# 公益通報者保護法 / Whistleblower Protection Act — 第三条 (Article 3)

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- 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: 第三条 (Article 3)（解雇の無効） — address `art-3`
- Text in force since: 2026-07-17
- URL (the page that opens at this provision): https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3
- Permanent URL (e-Gov law ID, never renamed): https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3
- 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.

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### 第三条（解雇の無効） — Invalidity of Dismissal
<sup>caption: machine translation, not official</sup>
<sup>art-3 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3</sup>

**第一項**  労働者である公益通報者が次の各号に掲げる場合においてそれぞれ当該各号に定める公益通報をしたことを理由として前条第一項第一号に定める事業者（当該労働者を自ら使用するものに限る。第九条において同じ。）が行った解雇は、無効とする。
<sup>art-3/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1</sup>
The dismissal of a worker carried out by a business operator provided for in Article 2, paragraph (1), item (i) (limited to one that directly employs the worker; the same applies in Article 9) is void if it is on the grounds that the worker, being a whistleblower, has conducted whistleblowing provided for in the respective following items in the cases stated in those items.
<sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

  **一**  通報対象事実が生じ、又はまさに生じようとしていると思料する場合　当該役務提供先等に対する公益通報
  <sup>art-3/par-1/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-1</sup>
  if the whistleblower considers that a reportable fact has occurred, or is about to occur:whistleblowing to the recipient of services or other designated person;
  <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

  **二**  通報対象事実が生じ、若しくはまさに生じようとしていると信ずるに足りる相当の理由がある場合又は通報対象事実が生じ、若しくはまさに生じようとしていると思料し、かつ、次に掲げる事項を記載した書面（電子的方式、磁気的方式その他人の知覚によっては認識することができない方式で作られる記録を含む。次号ホにおいて同じ。）を提出する場合　当該通報対象事実について処分又は勧告等をする権限を有する行政機関等に対する公益通報
  <sup>art-3/par-1/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-2</sup>
  if the whistleblower has reasonable grounds to believe that a reportable fact has occurred or is about to occur; or if the whistleblower considers that a reportable fact has occurred, or is about to occur, and submits a document stating the following matters (including a record made by an electronic method, a magnetic method, or any other method not recognizable to human senses; the same applies in (e) of the following item): whistleblowing to an administrative body or other designated person that has the authority to impose a disposition or make a recommendation or other act regarding the reportable fact:
  <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

    **イ**  公益通報者の氏名又は名称及び住所又は居所
    <sup>art-3/par-1/item-2/sub-1 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-2/sub-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-2/sub-1</sup>
    the name and address or residence of the whistleblower;
    <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

    **ロ**  当該通報対象事実の内容
    <sup>art-3/par-1/item-2/sub-2 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-2/sub-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-2/sub-2</sup>
    details of the reportable fact;
    <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

    **ハ**  当該通報対象事実が生じ、又はまさに生じようとしていると思料する理由
    <sup>art-3/par-1/item-2/sub-3 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-2/sub-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-2/sub-3</sup>
    reasons for considering that the reportable fact has occurred or is about to occur; and
    <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

    **ニ**  当該通報対象事実について法令に基づく措置その他適当な措置がとられるべきと思料する理由
    <sup>art-3/par-1/item-2/sub-4 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-2/sub-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-2/sub-4</sup>
    reasons for considering that measures based on laws and regulations, or any other appropriate measures should be taken with respect to the reportable fact.
    <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

  **三**  通報対象事実が生じ、又はまさに生じようとしていると信ずるに足りる相当の理由があり、かつ、次のいずれかに該当する場合　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又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に対する公益通報
  <sup>art-3/par-1/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-3</sup>
  if the whistleblower has reasonable grounds to believe that a reportable fact has occurred or is about to occur, and one of the following cases applies: whistleblowing report to a person to whom reporting the reportable fact is considered necessary to prevent its occurrence or the spread of damage it causes:
  <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

    **イ**  前二号に定める公益通報をすれば解雇その他不利益な取扱いを受けると信ずるに足りる相当の理由がある場合
    <sup>art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-1 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-1</sup>
    the whistleblower has reasonable grounds to believe that if they conduct whistleblowing provided for in the preceding two items, they will be subject to dismissal or other disadvantageous treatment;
    <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

    **ロ**  第一号に定める公益通報をすれば当該通報対象事実に係る証拠が隠滅され、偽造され、又は変造されるおそれがあると信ずるに足りる相当の理由がある場合
    <sup>art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-2 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-2</sup>
    the whistleblower has reasonable grounds to believe that if they conduct whistleblowing provided for in item (i), the evidence for the reportable fact might be concealed, counterfeited, or altered;
    <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

    **ハ**  第一号に定める公益通報をすれば、役務提供先が、当該公益通報者について知り得た事項を、当該公益通報者を特定させるものであることを知りながら、正当な理由がなくて漏らすと信ずるに足りる相当の理由がある場合
    <sup>art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-3 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-3</sup>
    the whistleblower has reasonable grounds to believe that if they conduct whistleblowing as provided for in item (i), the recipient of services will divulge the information acquired with respect to the whistleblower without just cause despite knowing that the information enables the identification of the whistleblower;
    <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

    **ニ**  役務提供先から前二号に定める公益通報をしないことを正当な理由がなくて要求された場合
    <sup>art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-4 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-4</sup>
    it is requested that the whistleblower does not conduct whistleblowing provided for in the preceding two items by the recipient of services without just cause;
    <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

    **ホ**  書面により第一号に定める公益通報をした日から二十日を経過しても、当該通報対象事実について、当該役務提供先等から調査を行う旨の通知がない場合又は当該役務提供先等が正当な理由がなくて調査を行わない場合
    <sup>art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-5 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-5 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-5</sup>
    even if twenty days have elapsed from the day of conducting whistleblowing provided for in item (i) in writing, the whistleblower does not receive a notice from the relevant recipient of services or other designated person about the commencement of an investigation on the reportable fact, or the relevant recipient of services or other designated person does not investigate the reportable fact without just cause; or
    <sup>Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System</sup>

    **ヘ**  個人の生命若しくは身体に対する危害又は個人（事業を行う場合におけるものを除く。以下このヘにおいて同じ。）の財産に対する損害（回復することができない損害又は著しく多数の個人における多額の損害であって、通報対象事実を直接の原因とするものに限る。第六条第二号ロ及び第三号ロにおいて同じ。）が発生し、又は発生する急迫した危険があると信ずるに足りる相当の理由がある場合
    <sup>art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-6 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-6 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-6</sup>
    the whistleblower has reasonable grounds to believe that harm to the life or physical wellbeing of an individual, or damage to the property of an individual (excluding an individual conducting business; the same applies below in this sub-item (f)) (limited to irreparable damage or substantial amount of damage to an extremely large number of individuals directly caused by the reportable fact; the same applies in Article 6, item (ii), (b) and item (iii), (b)) has occurred, or there is an imminent danger of its occurrence.
    <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

---

## Cites
- art-3/par-1: 前条第一項第一号 → 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/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-1/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-1/item-1
- art-3/par-1: 第九条 → 公益通報者保護法 第九条 (Article 9), art-9 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-9 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-9
- art-3/par-1/item-2: 次号 → 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/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-3
- art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-1: 前二号 → 公益通報者保護法 第三条第一項第一号 (Article 3, paragraph (1), item (i)), art-3/par-1/item-1 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-1
- art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-1: 前二号 → 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/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-2
- art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-2: 第一号 → 公益通報者保護法 第三条第一項第一号 (Article 3, paragraph (1), item (i)), art-3/par-1/item-1 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-1
- art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-3: 第一号 → 公益通報者保護法 第三条第一項第一号 (Article 3, paragraph (1), item (i)), art-3/par-1/item-1 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-1
- art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-4: 前二号 → 公益通報者保護法 第三条第一項第一号 (Article 3, paragraph (1), item (i)), art-3/par-1/item-1 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-1
- art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-4: 前二号 → 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/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-2
- art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-5: 第一号 → 公益通報者保護法 第三条第一項第一号 (Article 3, paragraph (1), item (i)), art-3/par-1/item-1 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-1
- art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-6: 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/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-6/par-1/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-6/par-1/item-2
- art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-6: 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/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-6/par-1/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-6/par-1/item-3

## Cited by

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

- 公益通報者保護法 第二条第一項（定義） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-2/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-2/par-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第三条第一項第二号（解雇の無効） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-2
- 公益通報者保護法 第三条第一項第三号イ（解雇の無効） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第三条第一項第三号ロ（解雇の無効） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-2
- 公益通報者保護法 第三条第一項第三号ハ（解雇の無効） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-3
- 公益通報者保護法 第三条第一項第三号ニ（解雇の無効） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-4
- 公益通報者保護法 第三条第一項第三号ホ（解雇の無効） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-5 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-3/par-1/item-3/sub-5
- 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/ja/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/ja/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/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-5/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-5/par-2
- 公益通報者保護法 第七条第一項（損害賠償の制限） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/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/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-8/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-8/par-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第八条第二項（解釈規定） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-8/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-8/par-2
- 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/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-9/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-9/par-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第十条第一項（他人の正当な利益等の尊重） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-10/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-10/par-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第十一条第一項（事業者がとるべき措置） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-11/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-11/par-1
- 公益通報者保護法 第十一条第二項（事業者がとるべき措置） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-11/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-11/par-2
- 公益通報者保護法 第十三条第一項（行政機関がとるべき措置） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-13/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-13/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/ja/whistleblower-protection-act/art-13/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/416AC0000000122/art-13/par-2

---

## 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
- 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