Distance restriction

...Thirdly, certain occupations may be monopolized by the state for the reason of the public interest of the business (postal services, telecommunications services, etc.) or for the state's financial purposes (such as tobacco monopolies). In a case in which it was contested whether such restrictions on the freedom to choose one's occupation violated Article 22 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court first ruled that the distance restrictions between public baths as a licensing standard for public baths were constitutional (1955 ruling), then ruled that the distance restrictions as a licensing standard for retail markets under the Special Measures Law for Adjusting Retail Commerce were constitutional (1972 ruling), but ruled that the distance restrictions as a licensing standard for pharmacies under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law were unconstitutional (1975 ruling). The case law's position on legal restrictions on the freedom of choice of occupation is to distinguish between positive policy restrictions aimed at protecting small and medium-sized businesses (such as distance restrictions for retail markets) and negative police restrictions aimed at preventing harm to the public health and other aspects of society. It has found the former to be constitutional, recognizing the legislature's broad discretion over the purpose and means of restrictions, but has determined that the latter are unconstitutional, since only necessary and reasonable restrictions are permitted.

*Some of the terminology that refers to "distance restrictions" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…第3は，事業の公益性(郵便事業，電信電話事業など)や国の財政目的(たばこ専売など)を理由として，ある種の職業が国によって独占される場合があることである。このような職業選択の自由の制限が憲法22条に違反するか否かが争われた裁判のなかで，最高裁判所は，まず，公衆浴場の許可基準としての浴場相互間の距離制限を合憲とし(1955年の判決)，ついで，小売商業調整特別措置法に基づく小売市場の許可基準としての距離制限を合憲としたが(1972年の判決)，薬事法による薬局の許可基準としての距離制限を違憲と判断した(1975年の判決)。判例の立場は，職業選択の自由に対する法的規制について，中小企業の保護を目的とするなどの積極的政策的規制(小売市場の距離制限の場合)と，国民の健康など社会公共に対する弊害を防止するための消極的警察的規制を区別し，前者については規制の目的および手段に対する立法府の広範な裁量権を認めて合憲とし，後者については必要かつ合理的な規制しか許されないから違憲と判断したのである。…

※「距離制限」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報