information that will be helpful in the revision.
Article 5
The Obligation to Disclose Administrative Documents
When there is a disclosure request, excluding cases in which any of the information
mentioned in each of the following subparagraphs (Hereinafter referred to as "non-disclosure
information.") is recorded in the administrative documents concerned with the disclosure request,
the head of an administrative organ shall disclose said administrative documents to the requester.
(1) Information concerning an individual (Excluding information concerning the business of an
individual who carries on said business.), where it is possible to identify a specific individual
from a name, birth date or other description, etc., contained in the information concerned
(Including instances where through collation with other information it is possible to identify a
specific individual.) , or when it is not possible to identify a specific individual, but by making
the information public there is a risk that an individual's rights and interests will be harmed.
However, the following are excluded:
(a) Information that is made public, or information that is scheduled to be made public, as
provided for by law or by custom.
(b) Information recognized as necessary to be made public in order to protect a person's life,
health, livelihood, or property.
(c) In the case that the said individual is a public official (National public employees as described
in Article 2, Section 1 of the National Public Service Law (Law No. 120 of 1947) or local public
service personnel as described in Article 2 of the Local Public Service Personnel Law (Law No.
261 of 1950).), when said information is information that concerns the performance of his or her
duties, from within said information that portion which concerns the said public official's office
and the substance of the said performance of duties.
(2) Information concerning a corporation or other entity (Excluding the State and local public
entities. Hereinafter referred to as a "corporation, etc."), or information concerning the business
of an individual who carries on said business, as set forth below. Excluding, however,
information recognized as necessary to be made public in order to protect a person's life, health,
livelihood, or property.
(a) Where there is a risk that, by being made public, the rights, competitive standing, or other
legitimate interests of the corporation, etc. or the said individual will be harmed.
(b) Where upon the request of an administrative organ it was offered voluntarily on the condition
that it not be made public, and where in light of the nature of the information and the
circumstances, etc. at the time, such as the corporation, etc. or the individual not ordinarily
making the information public, the attachment of said condition is considered to be rational.
(3) Information that, if made public, the head of an administrative organ with adequate reason
deems to pose a risk of harm to the security of the State, a risk of damage to trustful relations
with another country or an international organization, or a risk of causing a disadvantage in
negotiations with another country or an international organization.
(4) Information that, if made public, the head of an administrative organ with adequate reason
deems to pose a risk of causing a hindrance to the prevention, suppression or investigation of
crimes, the maintenance of public prosecutions, the execution of sentencing, and other public
security and public order maintenance matters.