Natural Parks Law (Extract)
Law No. 161 of June 1, 1957
Amended by Law No. 140 and No. 161 of 1962, No. 13, No. 61 and No. 140 of 1970, No.
88 of 1971, No. 52 and No. 85 of 1972, No. 73 of 1973, No. 87 of 1978, No. 26 of 1990, No.
92 of 1993, No. 87 and No. 160 of 1999, and No. 1 and No. 29 of 2002
Contents of the Law
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
General Provisions (Articles 1~4)
National Parks and Quasi-national Parks
Section 1 Designation (Article 5~Article 6)
Section 2 Natural Park Plan and Natural Park Work (Article 7~Article
12).
Section 3 Protection and Utilization (Article 13~ Article 30)
Section 4 Scenic Landscape Preservation Agreement (Article 31~Article
36)
Section 5 Park Management Organization (Articles 37~Article 42)
Section 6 Expenses (Article 43~Article 49)
Section 7 Miscellaneous Provisions (Article 50~Article 58)
Prefectural Natural Parks (Article 59~Article 68)
Penal Provisions (Article 69~Article 76)
Supplementary Provisions
Chapter I General Provisions
(Purpose)
Article 1
This Law shall aim at the protection of the places of natural scenic beauty and also,
through the promoted utilization thereof, at the contribution to the health, recreation
and culture of the people.
(Definitions)
Article 2
In this Law, the terms mentioned in the following items shall be understood respectively
as laid down in the items concerned:
(1) Natural Parks shall mean National Parks, Quasi-national Parks and Prefectural
Natural Parks.
(2) National Parks shall mean the places of greatest natural scenic beauty [including
natural scenic beauty of sea areas (hereinafter the same except Chapter 2, Section 4
and Article 61)], representing the model scenic beauties of our country, designated by
the Minister of the Environment in accordance with the provision of paragraph 1 of
Article 5.
(3) Quasi-national Parks shall mean the places of great natural scenic beauty next to
the National Parks, designated by the Minister of the Environment in accordance
with the provision of paragraph 2 of Article 5.
(4) Prefectural Natural Parks shall mean the places of great natural scenic beauty
designated by the prefectures in accordance with the provision of Article 59.
(5) Park Plans shall mean the planning concerning the regulation or facilities for the
protection or utilization of the National Parks or Quasi-national Parks.
(6) Park Works shall mean the works executed on the basis of the Park Plan pertaining
to the facilities, prescribed by the Cabinet Order, for the protection or utilization of
National Parks or Quasi-national Parks.
(Responsibility of the State etc.)
Article 3
In accordance with the basic intent of environmental conservation prescribed in Articles
3 to 5 of the Basic Environmental Law (Law No. 91 of 1993), the State, local public
bodies, park workers and visitors of the natural parks shall make effort respectively to
protect the natural scenic beauty and promote appropriate utilization.
2. In light of the fact that the protection of fauna and flora in the natural parks is
significant for conserving the scenic beauty of the natural parks, the State and local
public bodies shall take measures for conserving the scenic beauty of the natural
parks with the aim to ensure the diversity in the ecosystem and creature in the
natural parks.
(Respect for Property Rights and Adjustment with Public Interests)
Article 4
At the time of the application of this Law, in addition to the provision of Article 3 of the
Nature Conservation Law, the proprietary rights, mining rights and other property
rights shall be respected and also the adjustment between the land development and
other public interests shall be taken into consideration.
Chapter II National Parks and Quasi-National Parks
Section 1 Designation
(Designation)
Article 5
The National Parks shall be designated, with specification of their boundaries, by the
Minister of the Environment after seeking the opinions of the prefectures concerned and
the Central Environmental Council (hereinafter referred to as "Council").
2. The Quasi-national Parks shall be designated, with specification of their boundaries,
by the Minister of the Environment, upon request of the prefecture concerned, after
seeking the opinions of the Council.
3. In the case of the designation of the National Park or Quasi-national Park by the
Minister of the Environment, the fact and the area thereof shall be announced in the
official gazette.
4. The designation of the National Park or Quasi-national Park shall take effect on the
public announcement under the preceding paragraph.
(Dissolution of Designation and Alteration of Area)
Article 6
The Minister of the Environment, when he intends to dissolve the designation of the
National Park or alter the area thereof, shal1 seek the opinions of the prefectures
concerned and the Council.
2. The Minister of the Environment, when he intends to dissolve the designation of the
Quasi-national Park or alter the area thereof, shall seek the opinions of the prefecture
concerned and the Council; provided that the expansion of its area shall be based
upon request of the prefecture concerned.
3. The provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 of the preceding article shall be applied
correspondingly to the dissolution of the designation of the National Park or
Quasi-national Park and the alternation of the area thereof.
Section 2 Natural Park Plan and Natural Park Work
(Decision upon Natural Park Plan and Natural Park Work)
Article 7
The Park Plan concerning the National Park shall be decided upon by the Minister of
the Environment after seeking the opinions of the prefecture concerned and the Council.
2. The Park Work concerning the National Park shall be decided upon by the Minister of
the Environment after seeking the opinions of the Council.
3. The Park Plan concerning the Quasi-national Park shall he decided upon by the
Minister of the Environment upon request of the prefecture concerned after seeking
the opinions of the Council.
4. The Park Work concerning the Quasi-national Park shall be decided upon by the
governors of the prefectures concerned.
5. The Minister of the Environment, when he has decided upon the Park Plan or Park
Work, shall announce the outline of the fact.
6. The governor of the prefecture concerned, when he has decided upon the Park Work,
shall announce the outline of the fact.
(Discontinuance and Alteration of Park Plan and Park Work)
Article 8
The Minister of the Environment, when he intends to discontinue or alter the Park Plan
concerning the National Park, shall seek the opinions of the prefecture concerned and
the Council.
2. The Minister of the Environment, when he intends to discontinue or alter the Park
Work concerning the National Park, shall seek the opinions of the Council.
3. The Minister of the Environment, when he intends to discontinue or alter the Park
Plan concerning the Quasi-national Park, shall seek the opinion of the prefecture
concerned and the Council; provided that the additional Park Plan shall be based
upon request of the prefecture.
4. The provision of paragraph 5 of the preceding article shall be applied correspondingly
to the discontinuance or alteration of the Park Plan or Park Work by the Minister of
the Environment, and the provision of paragraph 6 of the preceding article shall be
applied correspondingly to the discontinuance or alteration of the Park Work by the
governor of the prefecture concerned.
(Execution of Park Work of National Park)
Article 9
The Park Work concerning the National Park shall be executed by the State.
2. Local public bodies and other bodies prescribed by the Cabinet Order (hereinafter
referred to as 'the public bodies") may execute a part of the Park Work concerning the
National Park after consulting with the Minister of the Environment and obtaining
his consent therefrom.
3. Those other than the State and public bodies may execute a part of the Park Work
concerning the National Park upon obtaining authorized concession from the
Minister of the Environment.
(Execution of Park Work of Quasi-national Park)
Article 10
The Park Work concerning the Quasi-national Park shall be executed by the prefecture;
provided that the State shall not be precluded from executing the works concerning
roads or any other works as provided for by the Road Law, (Law No. 180 of 1952) or any
other laws.
2. The public bodies other than the prefectures may execute a part of the Park Work
concerning the Quasi-national Park after consulting with the governor of the
prefecture concerned and obtaining consent therefrom.
3. Those other than the State and public bodies may execute a part of the Park Work
concerning the Quasi-national Park upon obtaining authorized concession from the
governor of the prefecture.
(Procedure of Consultation Etc.)
Article 11
As to the consultation under paragraph 2 of Article 9 and paragraph 2 of the preceding
article, the procedure of authorization under paragraph 3 of Article 9 and paragraph 3
of the preceding article, and the execution of the Park Work with the consent or
authorized concession under paragraph 2 of Article 9 and paragraph 2 of the preceding
article, necessary matters shall be prescribed by the Cabinet Order.
(Maintenance of Cleanliness)
Article 12
The State and local public bodies shall, when deemed necessary, cooperate with the
personnel responsible for the administration of the roads, picnic grounds, camping
grounds, ski slopes, swimming areas, and other public use sites located in National and
Quasi-national Parks in the maintenance of the cleanliness of such facilities.
Section 3 Protection and Utilization
(Special Zone)
Articl