- Article 10:
- The conditions necessary for being a Japanese
national shall be determined by law.
- Article 11:
- The people shall not be prevented from enjoying
any of the fundamental human rights. These
fundamental human rights guaranteed to the
people by this Constitution shall be conferred
upon the people of this and future generations
as eternal and inviolate rights.
- Article 12:
- The freedoms and rights guaranteed to the
people by this Constitution shall be maintained
by the constant endeavor of the people, who
shall refrain from any abuse of these freedoms
and rights and shall always be responsible
for utilizing them for the public welfare.
- Article 13:
- All of the people shall be respected as individuals.
Their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness shall, to the extent that it
does not interfere with the public welfare,
be the supreme consideration in legislation
and in other governmental affairs.
- Article 14:
- 1)
- All of the people are equal under the law
and there shall be no discrimination in political,
economic or social relations because of race,
creed, sex, social status or family origin.
- 2)
- Peers and peerage shall not be recognized.
- 3)
- No privilege shall accompany any award of
honor, decoration or any distinction, nor
shall any such award be valid beyond the
lifetime of the individual who now holds
or hereafter may receive it.
- Article 15:
- 1)
- The people have the inalienable right to
choose their public officials and to dismiss
them.
- 2)
- All public officials are servants of the
whole community and not of any group thereof.
- 3)
- Universal adult suffrage is guaranteed with
regard to the election of public officials.
- 4)
- In all elections, secrecy of the ballot shall
not be violated. A voter shall not be answerable,
publicly or privately, for the choice he
has made.
- Article 16:
- Every person shall have the right of peaceful
petition for the redress of damage, for the
removal of public officials, for the enactment,
repeal or amendment of laws, ordinances or
regulations and for other matters; nor shall
any person be in any way discriminated against
for sponsoring such a petition.
- Article 17:
- Every person may sue for redress as provided
by law from the State or a public entity,
in case he has suffered damage through illegal
act of any public official.
- Article 18:
- No person shall be held in bondage of any
kind. Involuntary servitude, except as punishment
for crime, is prohibited.
- Article 19:
- Freedom of thought and conscience shall not
be violated.
- Article 20:
- 1)
- Freedom of religion is guaranteed to all.
No religious organization shall receive any
privileges from the State, nor exercise any
political authority.
- 2)
- No person shall be compelled to take part
in any religious acts, celebration, rite
or practice.
- 3)
- The State and its organs shall refrain from
religious education or any other religious
activity.
- Article 21:
- 1)
- Freedom of assembly and association as well
as speech, press and all other forms of expression
are guaranteed.
- 2)
- No censorship shall be maintained, nor shall
the secrecy of any means of communication
be violated.
- Article 22:
- 1)
- Every person shall have freedom to choose
and change his residence and to choose his
occupation to the extent that it does not
interfere with the public welfare.
- 2)
- Freedom of all persons to move to a foreign
country and to divest themselves of their
nationality shall be inviolate.
- Article 23:
- Academic freedom is guaranteed.
- Article 24:
- 1)
- Marriage shall be based only on the mutual
consent of both sexes and it shall be maintained
through mutual cooperation with the equal
rights of husband and wife as a basis.
- 2)
- With regard to choice of spouse, property
rights, inheritance, choice of domicile,
divorce and other matters pertaining to marriage
and the family, laws shall be enacted from
the standpoint of individual dignity and
the essential equality of the sexes.
- Article 25:
- 1)
- All people shall have the right to maintain
the minimum standards of wholesome and cultured
living.
- 2)
- In all spheres of life, the State shall use
its endeavors for the promotion and extension
of social welfare and security, and of public
health.
- Article 26:
- 1)
- All people shall have the right to receive
an equal education correspondent to their
ability, as provided for by law.
- 2)
- All people shall be obligated to have all
boys and girls under their protection receive
ordinary education as provided for by law.
Such compulsory education shall be free.
- Article 27:
- 1)
- All people shall have the right and the obligation
to work.
- 2)
- Standards for wages, hours, rest and other
working conditions shall be fixed by law.
- 3)
- Children shall not be exploited.
- Article 28:
- The right of workers to organize and to bargain
and act collectively is guaranteed.
- Article 29:
- 1)
- The right to own or to hold property is inviolable.
- 2)
- Property rights shall be defined by law,
in conformity with the public welfare.
- 3)
- Private property may be taken for public
use upon just compensation therefor.
- Article 30:
- The people shall be liable to taxation as
provided for by law.
- Article 31:
- No person shall be deprived of life or liberty,
nor shall any other criminal penalty be imposed,
except according to procedure established
by law.
- Article 32:
- No person shall be denied the right of access
to the courts.
- Article 33:
- No person shall be apprehended except upon
warrant issued by a competent judicial officer
which specifies the offense with which the
person is charged, unless he is apprehended,
the offense being committed.
- Article 34:
- No person shall be arrested or detained without
being at once informed of the charges against
him or without the immediate privilege of
counsel; nor shall he be detained without
adequate cause; and upon demand of any person
such cause must be immediately shown in open
court in his presence and the presence of
his counsel.
- Article 35:
- 1)
- The right of all persons to be secure in
their homes, papers and effects against entries,
searches and seizures shall not be impaired
except upon warrant issued for adequate cause
and particularly describing the place to
be searched and things to be seized, or except
as provided by Article 33.
- 2)
- Each search or seizure shall be made upon
separate warrant issued by a competent judicial
officer.
- Article 36:
- The infliction of torture by any public officer
and cruel punishments are absolutely forbidden.
- Article 37:
- 1)
- In all criminal cases the accused shall enjoy
the right to a speedy and public trial by
an impartial tribunal.
- 2)
- He shall be permitted full opportunity to
examine all witnesses, and he shall have
the right of compulsory process for obtaining
witnesses on his behalf at public expense.
- 3)
- At all times the accused shall have the assistance
of competent counsel who shall, if the accused
is unable to secure the same by his own efforts,
be assigned to his use by the State.
- Article 38:
- 1)
- No person shall be compelled to testify against
himself.
- 2)
- Confession made under compulsion, torture
or threat, or after prolonged arrest or detention
shall not be admitted in evidence.
- 3)
- No person shall be convicted or punished
in cases where the only proof against him
is his own confession.
- Article 39:
- No person shall be held criminally liable
for an act which was lawful at the time it
was committed, or of which he had been acquitted,
nor shall he be placed in double jeopardy.
- Article 40:
- Any person may, in case he is acquitted after
he has been arrested or detained, sue the
State for redress as provided for by law.