Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare


2. Regulations

(2) Supervisory Guidance

Before establishing water supply business or bulk water supply business, water utilities have to obtain business license from Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare or Prefecture Governor. The Ministry or Prefecture approves business license, when application satisfies the standards for licensing.

To supervise water supply businesses and bulk water supply businesses, the Ministry collects reports on construction of water supply facilities and business management, and conducts on-site inspection. Usually, the Ministry collects reports regarding their performance of the management once a year. For on-site inspection, staffs from Water Supply Division, Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, visit offices and water treatment plants. Among the approximate 500 water utilities whose business licenses were approved by the Ministry, 50 to 70 water utilities are chosen to have on-site inspection annually on the base of the reports.

In addition, the Ministry holds Tap Water Technical Training once a year. The training is focused on the relevant year's administrative tendencies related to water supply and examples of good practices of risk management. The training is intended for water supply technical managers.

A water utility has to have one technical manager to take charge of the technical aspect of water business administration.

Supervisory Guidance for Water Suppliers in Japan(PDF:673KB)


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