Discipline - Chokai

Sanctions are imposed on those in a special supervisory or status relationship for certain violations of obligations. A typical example is disciplinary action against general-grade national and local government officials (Article 82 of the National Public Service Law, Article 29 of the Local Public Service Law). There are four types of disciplinary action: warning, pay cut, suspension, and dismissal. Those who are dismissed for disciplinary reasons are not eligible for retirement benefits and have their pensions reduced. Disciplinary grounds are violations of laws and regulations (industrial actions, violations of work orders, violations of confidentiality obligations, acts that bring discredit, etc.), violations or dereliction of professional obligations, and misconduct unbecoming of a public servant. Misconduct in private life that is unrelated to the performance of duties but has a significant negative impact on social evaluation is considered to be grounds for disciplinary action. Disciplinary action requires the issuance of a written explanation of the disciplinary action, but there are no legal provisions for notice or hearing procedures to hear the defense in advance, and the mainstream of case law has deemed this unnecessary. When an accounting official causes significant damage to the State through intent or gross negligence, the Board of Audit may demand disciplinary action from the supervisor (Article 31 of the Board of Audit Act).

In addition, special public officials such as judges (Article 49 of the Court Act) and auditors (Article 6 of the Board of Audit Act) each have their own disciplinary system, and disciplinary or equivalent systems are also in place for lawyers (Article 57 of the Attorneys Act), judicial scriveners (Article 47 of the Judicial Scriveners Act), medical doctors (Article 7 of the Medical Practitioners Act), notaries (Articles 74 and following of the Notary Public Act), and administrative scriveners (Article 14 of the Administrative Scriveners Act), who are not public servants but are subject to special supervision by the state.

Furthermore, those who supervise or care for inmates of penal institutions, inmates of women's guidance homes, inmates of juvenile prisons, students, pupils, children and children have the disciplinary power (Article 150 of the Penal Institutions and Treatment of Inmates Act, Article 11 of the Women's Guidance Home Act, Article 8 of the Juvenile Training School Act, Article 11 of the School Education Act, Article 822 of the Civil Code). However, the Penal Institutions and Treatment of Inmates Act calls it punishment.

[Yasuhito Abe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

特別の監督関係ないし身分関係にある者に対し一定の義務違反を理由として科する制裁。典型的なものは一般職の国家・地方公務員に対する懲戒処分（国家公務員法82条、地方公務員法29条）である。その種類には戒告、減給、停職、免職の4種類があり、懲戒免職された者は退職金を受けられないほか、年金を減額される。懲戒事由は、法令違反（争議行為、職務命令違反、守秘義務違反、信用失墜行為など）、職務上の義務違反・懈怠(けたい)、全体の奉仕者たるにふさわしくない非行、の三つである。職務遂行と関係ない私生活上の非行でも社会的評価に重大な悪影響を与えるものは懲戒事由にあたるとされている。懲戒処分をするには処分説明書を交付する必要があるが、事前に言い分を聞く告知・聴聞の手続については法律上規定がなく、判例の主流はこれを不要としてきている。会計事務職員が故意または重過失により著しく国に損害を与えたときは、会計検査院は監督者に対し懲戒処分を要求することができる（会計検査院法31条）。

　このほか、裁判官（裁判所法49条）、会計検査官（会計検査院法6条）など特別職にはそれぞれ懲戒にあたる制度があり、公務員ではないが国の特別の監督に服する弁護士（弁護士法57条）、司法書士（司法書士法47条）、医師（医師法7条）、公証人（公証人法74条以下）、行政書士（行政書士法14条）などについても、監督官庁などによる懲戒ないしこれと同等の制度がある。

　さらに、刑事施設被収容者、婦人補導院在院者、少年院在院者、学生・生徒・児童、子供に対しては、それぞれ監督ないし看護する者が、懲戒権を有している（刑事収容施設及び被収容者等の処遇に関する法律150条、婦人補導院法11条、少年院法8条、学校教育法11条、民法822条）。ただし、刑事収容施設及び被収容者等の処遇に関する法律では懲罰とよんでいる。

［阿部泰隆］

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