Act on Prohibition of Private Monopolization and Maintenance of Fair Trade
私的独占の禁止及び公正取引の確保に関する法律
Contents
Read it chapter by chapter; the first chapter follows below. Or read the whole law on one page.
- Chapter I General Provisions第一章 総則Articles 1–2 · 2
- Chapter II Private Monopolization and Unreasonable Restraint of Trade第二章 私的独占及び不当な取引制限Articles 2-2–7-9 · 13
- Chapter III Trade Associations第三章 事業者団体Articles 8–8-3 · 3
- Chapter III-2 Monopolistic Situations第三章の二 独占的状態Article 8-4
- Chapter IV Shareholdings, Interlocking Officers, Mergers, Splits, Share Transfers, and Acceptance of Assignments of Business第四章 株式の保有、役員の兼任、合併、分割、株式移転及び事業の譲受けArticles 9–18 · 13
- Chapter V Unfair Trade Practices第五章 不公正な取引方法Articles 18-2–20-7 · 9
- Chapter VI Exemptions第六章 適用除外Articles 21–23 · 3
- Chapter VII Injunctions and Damages第七章 差止請求及び損害賠償Articles 24–26 · 3
- Chapter VIII Japan Fair Trade Commission第八章 公正取引委員会Articles 27–76 · 72
- Chapter IX Legal Actions第九章 訴訟Articles 77–88 · 17
- Chapter X Miscellaneous Provisions第十章 雑則Article 88-2
- Chapter XI Penal Provisions第十一章 罰則Articles 89–100 · 18
- Chapter XII Investigation of Criminal Cases第十二章 犯則事件の調査等Articles 101–118 · 23
Chapter I General Provisions
第一章 総則
第一条
The purpose of this Act is to promote fair and free competition, stimulate the creative initiative of enterprise, encourage business activity, heighten the level of employment and actual national income, and thereby promote the democratic and wholesome development of the national economy as well as secure the interests of general consumers by prohibiting private monopolization, unreasonable restraint of trade and unfair trade practices, preventing excessive concentration of economic power and eliminating unreasonable restraints on production, sale, price, technology, etc., and all other unjust restrictions on business activity through combinations, agreements, etc.
第二条
The term "enterprise" as used in this Act means a person who operates a commercial, industrial, financial, or other business. Any officer, employee, agent, or other person who acts for the benefit of any enterprise is deemed to be an enterprise with regard to the application of the provisions of the following paragraph or of Chapter III.
The term "trade association" as used in this Act means an association or federation of two or more enterprises whose main purpose is to promote common interests as enterprises and includes the following provided, however, that an association or federation of two or more enterprises which has capital or contributions made by the constituent enterprise, and whose main purpose is to engage in commercial, industrial, financial or other business for profit, and which is actually engaged in the business is not to be included:
この法律において「事業者団体」とは、事業者としての共通の利益を増進することを主たる目的とする二以上の事業者の結合体又はその連合体をいい、次に掲げる形態のものを含む。ただし、二以上の事業者の結合体又はその連合体であつて、資本又は構成事業者の出資を有し、営利を目的として商業、工業、金融業その他の事業を営むことを主たる目的とし、かつ、現にその事業を営んでいるものを含まないものとする。
any incorporated association or other association of which two or more enterprises are members (including those equivalent);
二以上の事業者が社員（社員に準ずるものを含む。）である社団法人その他の社団
any incorporated foundation or other foundation for which two or more enterprises control the appointment and dismissal of directors or managers, the management of business or continuation of its existence; or
二以上の事業者が理事又は管理人の任免、業務の執行又はその存立を支配している財団法人その他の財団
any partnership for which two or more enterprises are partners, or any contractual combination of two or more enterprises.
二以上の事業者を組合員とする組合又は契約による二以上の事業者の結合体
The term "officer" as used in this Act means a director, a company director, an executive officer, a managing member, an inspector, an auditor, or an equivalent, a manager, or a chief of business of the main or branch office.
この法律において「役員」とは、理事、取締役、執行役、業務を執行する社員、監事若しくは監査役若しくはこれらに準ずる者、支配人又は本店若しくは支店の事業の主任者をいう。
The term "competition" as used in this Act means a state in which two or more enterprises, within the normal scope of their business activities and without making any material change to the facilities for, or kinds of, the business activities, engage in, or are able to engage in, any act listed in the following items:
この法律において「競争」とは、二以上の事業者がその通常の事業活動の範囲内において、かつ、当該事業活動の施設又は態様に重要な変更を加えることなく次に掲げる行為をし、又はすることができる状態をいう。
supplying the same or similar goods or services to the same user; or
同一の需要者に同種又は類似の商品又は役務を供給すること
receiving supplies of the same or similar goods or services from the same supplier.
同一の供給者から同種又は類似の商品又は役務の供給を受けること
The term "private monopolization" as used in this Act means the business activities, by which any enterprise, individually or in combination, in conspiracy with another enterprise, or by any other manner, excludes or controls the business activities of other enterprises, thereby causing, contrary to the public interest, a substantial restraint of competition in any particular field of trade.
The term "unreasonable restraint of trade" as used in this Act means the business activities, by which any enterprise, by contract, agreement or any other means irrespective of its name, in concert with other enterprise, mutually restrict or conduct their business activities in such a manner as to fix, maintain or increase prices, or to limit production, technology, products, facilities or counterparties, thereby causing, contrary to the public interest, a substantial restraint of competition in any particular field of trade.
The term "monopolistic situation" as used in this Act means circumstances in which each of the following market structures and market harm exists in any particular field of business when the aggregate total value (this term refers to the prices of the relevant goods less an amount equivalent to the amount of taxes levied directly on the goods) of goods of the same description (including goods capable of being supplied without making any material change to the facilities for, or kinds of, the business activities; hereinafter referred to as "particular goods" in this paragraph) and those of any other goods having extremely similar functions and utility, which are supplied in Japan (excluding those exported), or the total value (this term refers to the prices of the relevant services less an amount equivalent to the amount of taxes levied on the recipient of the services with respect thereto) of services of the same description which are supplied in Japan, during the latest one-year period designated by Cabinet Order, exceeds one hundred billion yen:
この法律において「独占的状態」とは、同種の商品（当該同種の商品に係る通常の事業活動の施設又は態様に重要な変更を加えることなく供給することができる商品を含む。）（以下この項において「一定の商品」という。）並びにこれとその機能及び効用が著しく類似している他の商品で国内において供給されたもの（輸出されたものを除く。）の価額（当該商品に直接課される租税の額に相当する額を控除した額とする。）又は国内において供給された同種の役務の価額（当該役務の提供を受ける者に当該役務に関して課される租税の額に相当する額を控除した額とする。）の政令で定める最近の一年間における合計額が千億円を超える場合における当該一定の商品又は役務に係る一定の事業分野において、次に掲げる市場構造及び市場における弊害があることをいう。
a single enterprise's share of a field of business (meaning, out of the aggregate volume (if calculation in terms of volume is not appropriate, out of the aggregate value; hereinafter the same applies in this item) of the particular goods and any other goods with an extremely similar function and utility that are supplied in Japan (excluding those exported), or out of the aggregate volume of the services that are supplied in Japan, the ratio of particular goods and any other goods with an extremely similar function and utility or services that are supplied by the enterprise; hereinafter the same applies in this item) exceeding one-half or two enterprises' combined share of a field of business exceeding three-fourths during the relevant one-year period;
there are circumstances that make it extremely difficult for any other enterprise to newly enter the relevant particular field of business; and
他の事業者が当該事業分野に属する事業を新たに営むことを著しく困難にする事情があること。
a significant increase or a slight decrease in the price of the particular goods or services supplied by the relevant enterprise during a considerable period of time in light of the changes in supply and demand, and changes in the cost of supply, for the particular goods or services, and the enterprise falling under any of the following items during the period:
that the enterprise has made a profit at a rate far exceeding the profit rate specified by Cabinet Order as the standard for the business type specified by Cabinet Order to which the relevant enterprise belongs; or
当該事業者の属する政令で定める業種における標準的な政令で定める種類の利益率を著しく超える率の利益を得ていること。
that the enterprise has expended selling and general administrative expenses which are considered to be far exceeding the standard selling and general administrative expenses for the field of business to which the relevant enterprise belongs.
当該事業者の属する事業分野における事業者の標準的な販売費及び一般管理費に比し著しく過大と認められる販売費及び一般管理費を支出していること。
If a change in economic conditions results in an extreme change in domestic shipments from producers and wholesale prices, the amount in the preceding paragraph is to be separately provided for by Cabinet Order, in consideration of the conditions.
経済事情が変化して国内における生産業者の出荷の状況及び卸売物価に著しい変動が生じたときは、これらの事情を考慮して、前項の金額につき政令で別段の定めをするものとする。
The term "unfair trade practices" as used in this Act means an act falling under any of the following items:
この法律において「不公正な取引方法」とは、次の各号のいずれかに該当する行為をいう。
engaging, without justifiable grounds, in any of the following acts, in concert with a competitor:
正当な理由がないのに、競争者と共同して、次のいずれかに該当する行為をすること。
refusing to supply to a certain enterprise or restricting the quantity or substance of goods or services supplied to a certain enterprise; or
ある事業者に対し、供給を拒絶し、又は供給に係る商品若しくは役務の数量若しくは内容を制限すること。
causing another enterprise to refuse to supply a certain enterprise, or to restrict the quantity or substance of goods or services supplied to a certain enterprise.
他の事業者に、ある事業者に対する供給を拒絶させ、又は供給に係る商品若しくは役務の数量若しくは内容を制限させること。
unjustly and continually supplying goods or services at a price applied differentially between regions or between parties, thereby likely to cause difficulties to the business activities of other enterprise;
不当に、地域又は相手方により差別的な対価をもつて、商品又は役務を継続して供給することであつて、他の事業者の事業活動を困難にさせるおそれがあるもの
without justifiable grounds, continuously supplying goods or services at a price far below the cost incurred to supply them, thereby likely to cause difficulties to the business activities of other enterprises;
正当な理由がないのに、商品又は役務をその供給に要する費用を著しく下回る対価で継続して供給することであつて、他の事業者の事業活動を困難にさせるおそれがあるもの
supplying goods to another party who purchases the relevant goods from oneself while imposing, without justifiable grounds, one of the restrictive terms listed below:
自己の供給する商品を購入する相手方に、正当な理由がないのに、次のいずれかに掲げる拘束の条件を付けて、当該商品を供給すること。
causing the party to maintain the selling price of the goods that one has determined, or otherwise restricting the party's free decision on selling price of the goods; or
相手方に対しその販売する当該商品の販売価格を定めてこれを維持させることその他相手方の当該商品の販売価格の自由な決定を拘束すること。
having the party cause an enterprise that purchases the goods from the party to maintain the selling price of the goods that one has determined, or otherwise causing the party to restrict the relevant enterprise's free decision on the selling price of the goods.
相手方の販売する当該商品を購入する事業者の当該商品の販売価格を定めて相手方をして当該事業者にこれを維持させることその他相手方をして当該事業者の当該商品の販売価格の自由な決定を拘束させること。
unjustly engaging in any act specified in one of the following, by making use of one's superior bargaining position over the counterparty, in light of normal business practices:
自己の取引上の地位が相手方に優越していることを利用して、正常な商慣習に照らして不当に、次のいずれかに該当する行為をすること。
causing the counterparty in continuous transactions (including a party with whom one newly intends to engage in continuous transactions; the same applies in (b) below) to purchase goods or services other than those to which the relevant transactions pertain;
継続して取引する相手方（新たに継続して取引しようとする相手方を含む。ロにおいて同じ。）に対して、当該取引に係る商品又は役務以外の商品又は役務を購入させること。
causing the counterparty in continuous transactions to provide money, services or other economic benefits; or
継続して取引する相手方に対して、自己のために金銭、役務その他の経済上の利益を提供させること。
refusing to receive goods in transactions with the counterparty, causing the counterparty to take back the goods after receiving them from the counterparty, delaying payment to the counterparty or reducing the amount of payment, or otherwise establishing or changing trade terms or executing transactions in a way that is disadvantageous to the counterparty;
取引の相手方からの取引に係る商品の受領を拒み、取引の相手方から取引に係る商品を受領した後当該商品を当該取引の相手方に引き取らせ、取引の相手方に対して取引の対価の支払を遅らせ、若しくはその額を減じ、その他取引の相手方に不利益となるように取引の条件を設定し、若しくは変更し、又は取引を実施すること。
any act falling under any of the following items, which is likely to impede fair competition and which is designated by the Japan Fair Trade Commission, other than the acts listed in the preceding items:
unjustly treating another enterprise in a discriminatory manner;
不当に他の事業者を差別的に取り扱うこと。
engaging in transactions at an unjust price;
不当な対価をもつて取引すること。
unjustly inducing or coercing competitor's customers to transact with oneself;
不当に競争者の顧客を自己と取引するように誘引し、又は強制すること。
transacting with another party on the conditions that will unjustly restrict the business activities of the counterparty;
相手方の事業活動を不当に拘束する条件をもつて取引すること。
taking unfair advantage of one's bargaining position to transact with the counterparty; or
自己の取引上の地位を不当に利用して相手方と取引すること。
unjustly interfering with a transaction between an enterprise in competition with oneself in Japan or a company of which one is a shareholder or an officer and another counterparty; or, if the enterprise is a company, unjustly inducing, instigating or coercing a shareholder or officer of the company to act against the company's interests.
enterprise
「事業者」
Anyone who carries on a commercial, industrial, financial or other business; an officer, employee, agent or other person acting for the benefit of an enterprise is also treated as one for the purposes of Article 2, paragraph (2) and Chapter 3 (trade associations).
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (1)· applies throughout the law
trade association
「事業者団体」
A combination of two or more business operators (事業者), or a federation of such combinations, whose main purpose is to advance their common interests as business operators, including associations, foundations and partnerships of the kinds Article 2, paragraph (2) lists, but not one that has capital or contributions from its members and mainly carries on, and actually carries on, a business for profit.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (2)· applies throughout the law
officer
「役員」
A board member (理事), director (取締役), executive officer (執行役), member who executes the business (業務を執行する社員), auditor (監事 or 監査役) or a person equivalent to any of these, a manager (支配人), or the person in charge of the business of a head office or branch office.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (3)· applies throughout the law
competition
「競争」
The state in which two or more enterprises (事業者), within the normal scope of their business and without significant change to its facilities or form, supply the same or similar goods or services to the same buyers, or are supplied with them by the same suppliers, or could do so.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (4)· applies throughout the law
private monopolization
「私的独占」
An enterprise (事業者), alone, by combining or conspiring with other enterprises or by any other means, excluding or controlling the business activities of other enterprises and so, contrary to the public interest, substantially restraining competition in a particular field of trade.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (5)· applies throughout the law
unreasonable restraint of trade
「不当な取引制限」
An enterprise (事業者), by contract, agreement or any other means, acting together with other enterprises to fix, maintain or raise prices or to limit quantities, technology, products, facilities or business partners, so that they mutually restrict or carry on their business activities and, contrary to the public interest, substantially restrain competition in a particular field of trade.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (6)· applies throughout the law
particular goods
「一定の商品」
In Article 2, paragraph (7), goods of the same kind, including goods that can be supplied without significant change to the facilities or form of the normal business activity for them: the goods whose total supply in Japan, together with goods closely similar in function and use, is measured to find a monopolistic situation (独占的状態).
Short name set inArticle 2, paragraph (7)· applies only in this paragraph
monopolistic situation
「独占的状態」
A situation in a particular field of business where the goods of a kind (with goods closely similar in function and use) or the services supplied in Japan total more than 100 billion yen, after taxes, in a recent one-year period set by Cabinet Order (政令), one enterprise holds more than half of the field or two together hold more than three quarters, new entry is extremely difficult, and prices have for a considerable time risen sharply or barely fallen while the enterprise earns profits far above its industry's standard or spends excessively on selling and general administrative expenses.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (7)· applies throughout the law
share of a field of businessmachine translation
「事業分野占拠率」
In Article 2, paragraph (7), item (i), an enterprise's share of a field of business: the proportion, by volume (or by value where volume is not suitable), of the particular goods (一定の商品) and goods closely similar in function and use, or of the services, supplied in Japan (not counting exports) that the enterprise supplied.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (7), item (i)· applies only in this item
unfair trade practices
「不公正な取引方法」
Any of the acts Article 2, paragraph (9) lists: refusing to deal together with competitors without justifiable grounds, unjust discriminatory pricing or selling far below cost that is likely to make other enterprises' business difficult, restricting a buyer's resale prices, abusing a superior bargaining position, and other acts likely to impede fair competition of the kinds listed in item (vi) that the Japan Fair Trade Commission designates.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (9)· applies throughout the law
company auditor
監査役
An officer of a stock company, elected by the shareholders meeting (Companies Act, Article 329, paragraph (1)), whose job is to audit how the directors carry out their duties and to write an audit report on it (Article 381, paragraph (1)). Not an outside accountant — that is the financial auditor (会計監査人) — and not a director: a company auditor may not also be a director or employee of the company or its subsidiaries (Article 335, paragraph (2)). The term normally runs to the annual shareholders meeting for the last business year ending within four years of election (Article 336, paragraph (1)).
Written by AI using Companies Act, Arts. 329, 335, 336, 381 as a reference.
director
取締役
An officer of a stock company, elected by the shareholders meeting (Companies Act, Article 329, paragraph (1)). Every stock company has at least one (Article 326, paragraph (1)). Where there is no board of directors, the directors run the company's business unless the articles of incorporation say otherwise (Article 348, paragraph (1)), and each of them represents it unless the company has chosen representative directors (代表取締役) or others to do that (Article 349, paragraphs (1) and (3)). Where there is a board (取締役会, board of directors), the directors are its members, and the board decides the business and normally chooses the representative directors from among them (Article 362). The term normally runs to the annual shareholders meeting for the last business year ending within two years of election (Article 332, paragraph (1)).
Written by AI using Companies Act, Arts. 326, 329, 332, 348, 349, 362 as a reference.
Fair Trade Commission
公正取引委員会
The body the Act on Prohibition of Private Monopolization and Maintenance of Fair Trade (独占禁止法, the Antimonopoly Act) sets up to achieve that Act's purpose — among other things, to promote fair and free competition by banning private monopolization, unreasonable restraint of trade and unfair trade practices, and so to protect the interests of general consumers and the democratic and sound development of the national economy (Antimonopoly Act, Articles 1 and 27, paragraph (1)). It comes under the Prime Minister's jurisdiction, but its chairperson and four commissioners — appointed by the Prime Minister with the consent of both Houses of the Diet — exercise their authority independently (Articles 27, paragraph (2), 28 and 29). Under the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations, businesses and trade associations may, with the approval of both the Prime Minister and the Fair Trade Commission, conclude or set agreements or rules (協定又は規約) on premiums or representations (Article 36, paragraph (1)).
Written by AI using Antimonopoly Act, Arts. 1, 27, 28, 29 and Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations, Art. 36 as a reference.