Designation of areas

The specific scope of monitored areas, etc. will be publicized once the particulars are decided after consultation with the Council on the Use of Real Estate.

1. Monitored areas

Areas within a range of approximately 1,000 meters from the premises of important facilities or areas within remote territorial islands may be designated as monitored areas, if it is particularly necessary to prevent real estate (land and buildings) in those areas from being used for adverse acts (meaning acts that impede the functions of the important facilities and remote territorial islands) (Article 5(1) of the Act).

Facilities and locations eligible for monitored areas

(1) Important facilities

"Important facilities" refers to defense facilities (Article 2(2)(i) of the Act), facilities of the Japan Coast Guard (Article 2(2)(ii) of the Act) and facilities for supporting the public (Article 2(2)(iii) of the Act).

A. Defense facilities

"Defense facilities" refers to facilities of the Japan Self Defense Forces, and facilities and areas as set out in Article 2(1) of the "Agreement under Article VI of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and the United States of America, Regarding Facilities and Areas and the Status of United States Armed Forces in Japan."
More specifically, areas surrounding facilities underpinning the national security of Japan, including base facilities for activities of forces units, supporting facilities for forces units, facilities for research and development of equipment, and facilities for research directly related to the national security of Japan, may be designated as monitored areas.

B. Facilities of the Japan Coast Guard

Facilities of the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) are facilities equipped with functionalities to maintain order of ship navigation on the sea, in connection with guarding operations for territorial waters.
An area surrounding a facility located in the JCG's jurisdiction where there is an increased tension relating to the waters may be designated as a monitored area.

C. Facilities for supporting the public

Facilities for supporting the public are facilities related to the lives of the public that could cause serious damage to the lives, physical well-being, or property of the public if acts that impede their functions were carried out. Nuclear facilities and airports are designated as such facilities under the Cabinet Order.
With respect to nuclear facilities, an area surrounding a refining facility, fuel fabrication facility, power reactor facility, spent fuel storage facility, reprocessing facility, waste burial facility and waste storage facility may be designated as a monitored area.
With respect to airports, an area surrounding an airport adjacent to a facility of and also used by the Self Defense Forces may be designated as a monitored area.

(2) Remote territorial islands

"Remote territorial islands" refers to remote territorial islands (Article 2(3)(i) of the Act) and other islands within remote populated territorial island areas (Article 2(3)(ii) of the Act).
A monitored area is designated for a remote territorial island presently under the maintenance or management of Japan, where, as a general rule, land owned by an entity other than the state or local government is located, namely the following.

A. Remote territorial islands

With respect to remote territorial islands, an area surrounding a baseline used for demarcating the boundary limits of waters, including territorial waters (hereinafter a "territorial waters baseline") and an area surrounding a mooring facility (e.g., quay walls) used by offices of administrative organs or their ships as the base for guarding operations of territorial waters. As a general rule, an unmanned remote territorial island is designated as a monitored area in its entirety.

B. Islands within remote populated territorial island areas

With respect to islands within remote populated territorial island areas (meaning an area constituted by a group of remote islands that are determined to be integrally connected from natural, economic and social standpoints, where a remote island having a territorial waters baseline is located, and where any Japanese citizen presently resides) other than remote territorial islands, an area surrounding a mooring facility (e.g., quay walls) used by offices of administrative organs or their ships as the base for guarding operations of territorial waters is designated as a monitored area.

2. Special monitored area

A monitored area covering specified important facilities or specified remote territorial islands can be designated as a special monitored area (Article 12(1)).
*For transferring the ownership in real estate of at least a certain size located in a special monitored area, or for transferring or creating any rights to acquire the ownership in such real estate, both a seller and purchaser under the contract have an obligation to notify the Prime Minister of the particulars specified by the applicable laws and regulations (Article 13(1) and (3)).
Overview of Notification(Only available in Japanese)

Areas eligible for special monitored areas

A. Specified important facilities

Specified important facilities are important facilities whose functions are of particular importance or are vulnerable, and cannot be easily substituted by other important facilities.
An area surrounding defense facilities having functions as a center for command or order, defense facilities with functions for surveillance and intelligence, defense facilities with air-defense functions, or defense facilities located in a remote island may be designated as a special monitored area.

B. Specified remote territorial islands

Specifiied remote territorial islands are remote territorial islands whose functions as remote islands are of particular importance or are vulnerable, and cannot be easily substituted by other remote territorial islands in terms of their functions as remote islands.
A special monitored area is designated for the whole of an unmanned remote territorial island presently under the maintenance or management of Japan, where, as a general rule, land owned by a person or entity other than the state or local government is located.

3. List of designated areas

4. Related public notice of the Cabinet Office

*Drawings mentioned in the Public Notice are available for public inspection at the Cabinet Office. Please contact the Cabinet Office before visiting.
For convenience, click links from Section 3 "List of designated areas" for related files in PDF format.