Construction Business Law

Japanese: 建設業法 - けんせつぎょうほう

The purpose of this law, Act No. 100 of 1949, is to ensure proper construction work, protect clients, and promote the sound development of the construction industry by improving the quality of those working in the construction industry and streamlining construction contracts.

The construction industry in this law refers to businesses that undertake the completion of construction work, regardless of whether they are a prime contractor, subcontractor, or under any other name, and construction work refers to the 28 civil engineering and construction work listed in the appendix to the law, such as carpentry, plastering, civil engineering, roofing, electrical engineering, reinforcing steel, interior finishing, painting, and landscaping. The main contents of this law are as follows:

(1) Anyone who wishes to operate a construction business must apply for and receive a license from the prefectural governor (or the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism if the person has offices in two or more prefectures). Licenses are issued for each type of construction work, and must be renewed every five years. Businesses that only undertake minor construction work as specified by government ordinance do not require a license.

(2) In order to ensure the fair performance of construction contracts, the contracting parties must record the details of the work, the contract price, and other required items in writing and exchange them with their signatures or name and seals. Unreasonably low contract prices and lump-sum subcontracting, etc., that are the result of taking advantage of one's bargaining position, are prohibited.

(3) In order to resolve disputes concerning construction contracts, a Central Construction Work Dispute Review Board will be established within the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and Prefectural Construction Work Dispute Review Boards will be established in each prefecture.

(4) In order to ensure the execution technology of construction work, the appointment of engineers is made mandatory, and construction companies must appoint a chief engineer or supervising engineer at each construction site.

(5) The Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism or the prefectural governor has the supervisory authority to give instructions and recommendations to construction companies if they find any particular irregularities on the part of the construction company, and is also vested with the authority to suspend the business of unscrupulous construction companies or revoke their licenses.

(6) A Central Construction Industry Council shall be established within the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as an advisory body to conduct research and deliberate on the modernization of the construction industry, and prefectures may establish Prefectural Construction Industry Councils by ordinance.

[Saburo Miyata]

[Reference items] | Construction industry | Architectural construction

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

建設業を営む者の資質の向上、建設工事の請負契約の適正化等を図ることによって、建設工事の適正な施工の確保、発注者の保護および建設業の健全な発達の促進に資することを目的とする法律。昭和24年法律第100号。

　本法でいう建設業とは、元請(もとうけ)、下請(したうけ)その他いかなる名義をもってするかを問わず、建設工事の完成を請け負う営業であり、建設工事とは、大工・左官・土工・屋根・電気・鉄筋・内装仕上・塗装・造園など同法別表に掲げる28の土木建築に関する工事をいう。本法のおもな内容は次のとおり。

(1)建設業を営もうとする者は都道府県知事（二つ以上の都道府県に営業所を設ける者は国土交通大臣）に申請して許可を受けなければならない。許可は建設工事の種類ごとに分けて与えられ、5年ごとにその更新を受けなければならない。政令で定める軽微な建設工事のみを請け負う業者は許可を必要としない。

(2)建設工事の請負契約の公正な履行を確保するため、契約当事者は、工事内容・請負代金等所定の事項を書面に記載し、署名または記名押印して相互に交付しなければならない。自己の取引上の地位を利用した不当に低い請負代金や一括下請負などが禁止されている。

(3)建設工事の請負契約に関する紛争の解決のため、国土交通省に中央建設工事紛争審査会、都道府県に都道府県建設工事紛争審査会を設置する。

(4)建設工事の施工技術の確保のため、技術者の設置を義務づけ、建設業者は主任技術者または監理技術者を工事現場ごとに置かなければならない。

(5)国土交通大臣または都道府県知事は監督権として、建設業者に一定の不正事実がある場合に指示・勧告を行い、また悪質な建設業者に対して営業の停止または許可の取消しをなしうる等の権限が与えられている。

(6)建設業の近代化について調査審議を行う諮問機関として、国土交通省に中央建設業審議会を設置し、都道府県には条例で都道府県建設業審議会を設置することができる。