(Eligibility)
Article 19.
Any person over twenty-five years of age who has the right to elect members of the assembly of the ordinary local public body shall be eligible to such membership, as provided by law.
2.
Any Japanese national over thirty years of age shall be eligible to the office of governor of To, Do, Fu or Ken, as provided by law.
3
Any Japanese national over twenty-five years of age shall be eligible to the office of mayor of a city, town or village, as provided by law.
Article 20. to 73. Deleted.
Chapter V Direct Demand
Section I. Demand for Enactment of Bylaw and for Audit
(Initiative)
Article 74.
One fiftieth or more of persons with the right to vote for members of the assembly and the chief executive of an ordinary local public body hereafter referred to as "the electorate"), under joint signature and through their representative, present a petition, in accordance with cabinet order, to the chief executive of the ordinary local public body, demanding enactment, amendment or abolition of a bylaw (not relating to the levy or collection of local tax or the collection of assessments, charges or fees.)
2.
When a petition has been presented under the preceding paragraph, the chief executive shall forthwith make public the purport of the petition.
3.
The chief executive shall refer such petition together with his/her opinion to the assembly, which he/she shall convene within twenty days from the date of its receipt. The result will be conveyed to the representative of petitioners, and be made public.
4.
The electorate as referred to in paragraph 1 shall mean the total electors duly registered as of the day when the electors' register was made under Article 22 of the Public Election Law (Law No. 100 of 1950). The number equal to one-fiftieth of the total electorate shall be made public by the election administration commission of each ordinary local public body, as soon as the registration is made.
