The purpose of this Law is to ensure the safety of ships' traffic by prescribing special modes of navigation and by effecting control for preventing danger to ships' traffic in the traffic congested areas.

2. This Law shall apply to the sea areas of Tokyo Wan, Ise Wan (Including the sea areas adjacent to the mouth of Ise Wan and those portions of Mikawa Wan which are adjacent to Ise Wan) and Seto Naikai, except such areas as are listed below, and the boundaries between these sea areas and other sea areas (excluding the areas listed below) shall be fixed by the Cabinet Order.

　

The term "traffic route" as used in this Law shall mean the sea area specified by the Cabinet Order as a route to be used by vessels in the sea areas listed in the annexed table, and the names of the traffic routes are as shown in the same table.

2. For the purpose of this Law, the terms in the following items shall have such meanings as are defined in each item:

3. The meanings of the terms "vessel engaged in fishing", "length" and "whistle" as used in this Law shall be those of the same terms provided for in Article 3 Paragraph 4 and Paragraph 10 and Article 32 Paragraph 1 of the Law for Preventing Collisions at Sea (Law No. 62 of 1977).

　

　

Any vessel (other than a vessel engaged in fishing or other operations) intending to enter a traffic route from outside of the traffic route or go outside from the traffic route, or cross the traffic route, or any vessel (other than a vessel engaged in fishing or other operations) navigating the traffic route not along the course of such route, so as to involve risk of collision with another vessel which is navigating the traffic route along the course of such route, shall keep out of the way of the other vessel. In such case, the provisions of Article 9 Paragraph 2, Article 12 Paragraph 1, Article 13 Paragraph 1, Article 14 Paragraph 1, the first portion of Article 15 Paragraph 1 and Article 18 Paragraph 1 (only such cases as related to item (4)) of the Law for Preventing Collisions at Sea shall not apply to the other vessel.

2. Any vessel engaged in fishing or other operations, intending to enter a traffic route from outside of the traffic route, or go outside from the traffic route or cross the traffic route or navigating the traffic route not along the course of such route or any vessel staying in the traffic route, so as to involve risk of collision with a huge vessel navigating the traffic route along the course of the route, shall keep out of the way of such huge vessel. In such case, Article 9 Paragraph 2 and Paragraph 3, Article 13 Paragraph 1, Article 14 Paragraph 1, the first portion of Article 15 Paragraph 1 and Article 18 Paragraph 1 (only such cases as related to item (3) and item (4)) of the Law for Preventing Collisions at Sea shall not apply to the huge vessel.

3. For the application of the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, vessels described in each of the following items shall not be deemed as navigating the traffic route along the course of such route:

　

When a vessel whose length is that prescribed by the Ministry of LIT Ordinance or more, intends to navigate between the two points in the vicinity of a traffic route, which are defined in the Ministry of LIT Ordinance, the vessel shall navigate the traffic route along the course of the route or navigate the section of such traffic route along the course of the route, in accordance with the provisions of the Ministry of LIT Ordinance: Provided that this shall not apply to the case where there are unavoidable reasons for the prevention of marine accident or the rescue of human life or other vessels.

　

Within the sections of traffic routes, prescribed by the Ministry of LIT Ordinance, a vessel shall not navigate at a speed exceeding that specified by the Ministry of LIT Ordinance for each of such sections concerned, except when the vessel crosses the traffic route: Provided that this shall not apply to the case where there are unavoidable reasons for the prevention of marine accident or the rescue of human life or other vessels.

　

　An overtaking vessel (which falls under Article 13 Paragraph 2 or Paragraph 3 of the Law for Preventing Collisions at Sea) equipped with a whistle, shall, when intending to overtake any other vessel in a traffic route, give the signal as specified by the Ministry of LIT Ordinance: Provided that this shall not apply to the case where the overtaking vessel gives the whistle signal under the first portion of Article 9 Paragraph 4 of the Law.

　

Vessels (other than those not equipped with a whistle and those prescribed by the Ministry of LIT Ordinance) which intend to enter a traffic route from outside of the traffic route or go outside from the traffic route, or cross such traffic route, shall indicate their destination by giving the signal as specified in the Ministry of LIT Ordinance.

　

Any vessel intending to cross a traffic route shall cross the route promptly at angles as close as possible to the right angles with the traffic route.

2. The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall not apply to the case where the vessel navigating the traffic route along the course of such route comes to cross another traffic route that intersects the former route.

　

Within the sections of traffic routes, specified in the Ministry of LIT Ordinance, no vessel is allowed to enter the traffic route from outside of such route or go outside from or cross the traffic route as specifically provided for in the Ministry of LIT Ordinance for each of such sections: Provided that this shall not apply to the case where there are unavoidable reasons for the prevention of marine accident or the rescue of human life or other vessels.

　

Within the traffic routes, no vessel is allowed to anchor (the words "to anchor" shall include any moorage to the vessel lying at anchor; hereafter the same): Provided that this shall not apply to the case where there are unavoidable reasons for the prevention of marine accident or the rescue of human life or other vessels.