The Administrative Procedure Act (行政手続法, Gyōsei tetsuzuki-hō), enacted in 1993, governs general functions of government agencies in Japan.

1. General Provisions
2. Dispositions Upon Applications: Requires administrative agencies to implement concrete standards of review and indicate processing times for applications.
3. Adverse Dispositions: Establishes procedures and evidentiary standards for hearings and rulings.
4. Administrative Guidance: Establishes regulations for non-dispositive advice conducted by the government.
5. Notifications
6. Public Comment Procedure, Etc.

A number of government activities are excluded from the Act. These include:

• Diet, judicial and prosecutorial activities
• Law enforcement
• Tax and securities regulation
• Prisons
• Schools
• Immigration control

• Text of the law (Japanese and English)