Article 1. The National Language Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as the “Institute”) shall be established in order to conduct scientific research on the national language and public language life, as well as to build a strong base for the rationalization of the national language.
2. The Institute shall be under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Education. The Minister of Education shall not control the Institute except for matters related to personnel affairs and budgets.

Article 2. The Institute shall conduct the following research activities.

1. 1. Research on modern language life and on language and culture
2. 2. Research on the historical development of the national language
3. 3. Research on the purpose, methods, and results of national language education
4. 4. Research on language aimed at mass audiences, such as the language in newspapers, in broadcasting, etc.

2. The Institute shall conduct the following activities based on the research activities mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

1. 1. Preparation of reference materials for planning national language policy
2. 2. Collection, preservation, and publication of materials for research on the national language
3. 3. Compilation and publication of a modern language dictionary, a dialect dictionary, a historical Japanese dictionary, and other research products

Article 3. The activities at the Institute shall, in principle, not already have been conducted by other research organizations or individuals, and shall not duplicate ongoing research of the same kind.
2. When any research activities corresponding to item 1 of Paragraph 1 of the preceding article are already being conducted by other appropriate research organizations or individuals, the Institute may entrust those research organizations or individuals with those activities and consider them Institute activities in order to avoid the duplication mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Article 4. The Institute shall have a Director-General.
2. A first-class teacher or an administrative official of the Ministry of Education shall be appointed the Director-General by the Minister of Education.
3. The Director-General general may not serve in another government post at the same time.

Article 5. At least once a year the Director-General shall make a public report on the state of research activities and research outcomes.

Article 6. The Institute shall have a Council.
2. The Council shall discuss the Institute's annual plan, research purview, and other important affairs and advise the Director-General.
3. The Director-General shall consult with the Council about the important affairs mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Article 7. The Council shall be composed of 20 members.
2. Knowledgeable persons shall be appointed or commissioned as members of the Council by the Minister of Education according to the provisions of the Government Officials Act (Act No. 120 of 1947 (Showa 22)).
3. Except for school teachers, government officials may not be members of the Council.
4. The term of a member of the Council shall be four years, and half the members shall be replaced every two years. However, reappointment or re-commissioning is allowed.
5. The term of a substitute member of the Council shall be the unexpired term of his/her predecessor.

Article 8. The Council shall have one Chairman and one Vice-Chairman, each with a two-year term, elected from among the members of the Council.

Article 9. Except for the provisions of this act, matters concerning the management of the Council shall be decided by the Minister of Education in accordance with the advice of the Council.

Article 10. The organization of departments, sections, etc. within the Institute, the selection and allocation of its staff, and other necessary matters concerning the management of the Institute shall be decided by the Director-General.

1. This act shall come into force as of the day of promulgation.
2. For half of the members of the Council appointed or commissioned when this act first takes effect, the term shall be two years regardless of the provisions of Paragraph 4 of Article 7.