The Guide-Interpreter Business Law (Law No 210 of 1949, Rivised Law No 39 of 2008)
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Translated by Takashi Murakami
| CHAPTER ‡T | General Provisions |
| Article1(aims) | This law aims at sound growth of a guide-interpreter business and being conducive to the improvement of attending service to foreign visitors. |
| Article 2 (business) | This law stipulates that a guide-interpreter business is to escort foreigners and to give them guiding services concerning travel with the use of a foreign language for receiving a payment. |
| Article 3 (qualification) | Any person who tries to do a guide-interpreter business shall pass the examination given by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and shall acquire a license issued by a prefectural government. |
| Article 4 (disqualification cause) | Any person who falls under any of the following items shall not have a
qualification to become a guide-interpreter. (ú@) Any person who received a punishment of no less than 1 year penal servitude or imprisonment does not go through more than 2 years since the day when that person underwent the punishment or the day when it was decided that that person would not receive the punishment. (úA) Any person who underwent a punishment of banning a guide-interpreter business provided the first item of article 33 does not go through 2 years since the day when that person received the punishment. (úB) Any person who received a punishment of banning a local guide-interpreter business provided the provision of the first item of article 33 as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to the third paragraph of article 24 in the Law of International Tourism Promotion for prompting simplification of travel procedure of foreign tourists does not go through 2 years since the day when that person received the punishment. |
| CHAPTER ‡U | Examination Provisions |
| Article 5 (aim for examination) | The examination for a guide-interpreter aims to judge whether any person has necessary knowledge and ability as a guide- interpreter. |
| CHAPTER ‡V | Registration provisions |
| Article18 (registration) | Any person who has a qualification to become a guide-interpreter shall get registration on the register notifying name, date of birth, address and other matters provided by Ordinance of the Ministry for a guide-interpreter business before starting the business. |
| Article 20 (application for registration) | Any person who tries to get registration pursuant to the provision of Article
18 shall submit registration application to a governor pursuant to the
provision of Ordinance of the Ministry for a guide-interpreter business. (2) A registration application of proceeding paragraph shall attach with accompanying documents to prove that an applicant has a certification to become a guide-interpreter. |
| Article21 (refusal of registration) | When any person applies for the registration to a governor pursuant
to the provision of the first paragraph of proceeding article ( hereinafter
referred to as "an applicant"), a governor shall refuse the registration
of an applicant who falls under any provisions of Ordinance of the Ministry
for a guide-interpreter business as a person who has no license certification
or is unable to properly operate guide-interpreter business due to mental
or physical disorder. (2) When a governor decides to refuse the registration of an applicant because that governor judges that an applicant falls under the provisions of Ordinance of the Ministry for a guide-interpreter business, that governor shall notify the decision to an applicant beforehand and let an official who is appointed by that governor listen to the opinions of an applicant answering an applicant's demand. |
| CHAPTER ‡W | Guide-Interpreter's business provisions |
| Article 29 (presentation of license etc.) | A guide-Interpreter shall show the registration license to any person who receives guide- interpreter services before starting the business. |
| Article 30 (an act of ban) | A guide-interpreter shall not do any act of the following items. (ú@) On buying goods or any mediation to any person who gets guide-interpreter services, to demand money or goods against a seller or any person concerned to a seller. (úA) To compel any person to get guide-interpreter services. (úB) To let any person use a guide-interpreter license |
| Article 31 | Any guide-interpreter shall not harm the trust or the dignity of a guide-interpreter by such conduct as it is pursuant to the provision of the proceeding Article. |
| Article 32 (maintain and improve knowledge and ability) | A guide-Interpreter shall make continuous efforts to maintain and
improve knowledge and ability necessary by such as taking study and training
presented by an authorized organization. (2) Commissioner of Japan Tourism Agency and Governors are expected to hold lectures ,disseminate information and take other necessary measures in order to maintain and improve guide-interpreter's knowledge and ability when needed. |
| Article 33 (disciplinary action) | When any guide-interpreter violates this law or the order based in this
law, a governor may punish that guide-interpreter with the following items. (ú@) a warning (úA) a banning of the business for less than one year (úB) a prohibition of the business (2) When a governor punishes a guide-interpreter with the punishments listed in the first item or the second item of the proceeding paragraph, that governor shall hold a hearing in spite of the procedure for opinion statement pursuant to the provision of the first paragraph of Article 13 of Administrative Procedure Act ( Act No.88 of 1993). (3) A trial on the day of the hearing for the punishment listed in every item of the first paragraph shall be held in public. |
| Article 34 (reporting) |
When governors consider that it is necessary to get reports from a guide-interpreter for securing proper operation of guide-interpreter business, that governor may get necessary reports on guide-interpreter business from a guide-interpreter. |
| CHAPTER ‡X | Miscellaneous provisions |
| Article 35 (guide-interpreter organization) |
Any organization that aims at maintaining dignity and improving skills
of a guide-interpreter, and then attempting to promote progress and improvement
of the business concerning a guide-interpreter shall report matters pursuant
to Ordinance of the Ministry for a guide-interpreter business to Commissioner
of Japan Tourism Agency. (2) Any organization that reports matters pursuant to the provision of the proceeding paragraph shall set up a certain course and hold study and training for a guide-interpreter. (3) When it is considered to be necessary to secure the proper business of a guide-interpreter, Commissioner of Japan Tourism Agency may get a report or provide advice or issue a recommendation concerning that organization. |
| Article 36 (banning the business against none licensed person) | Any person who does not have a guide-interpreter license shall not run guide-interpreter business for receiving a payment. |
| Article 37 (banning the use of the name) | Any person who does not have a guide-interpreter license shall not use the name, guide-interpreter or the name similar to guide-interpreter |
| CHAPTER ‡Y | Penal provisions |
| Article 39 | Any person who falls under the first paragraph of Article 14 shall be punished for not more than one year penal servitude or shall be imposed a fine of less than 300,000 yen. |
| Article 40 | Any person who falls under any of the following items shall be imposed
a fine of no greater than 500,000 yen. (ú@) Any person who gets a guide-interpreter registration through falsity or other illegal means. (úA) Any person who violates a punishment of banning the business pursuant to the provision of the first paragraph of Article 33. (úB) Any person who violates the provision of Article 36. (Performing tour-guide-interpreter duties for a fee without a license will result in a fine of less than 500,000 yen.) |
| Supplementary provisions |