①The enjoyment of private rights commences at birth.

②Unless otherwise prohibited by applicable laws, regulations, or treaties, foreign nationals enjoy private rights.

If the person performing a juridical act did not have mental capacity when manifesting the relevant intention, the juridical act is void.

The age of majority is 18 years of age.

①A minor must obtain the consent of the minor's legal representative to perform a juridical act; provided, however, that this does not apply to a juridical act for merely acquiring a right or being released from an obligation.

②A juridical act in contravention of the provisions of the preceding paragraph may be revoked.

③Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1), a minor may freely dispose of property that the legal representative has permitted the minor to dispose of for a specified purpose, to an extent that falls within the scope of that purpose. The same applies if the minor disposes of property that the legal representative has permitted the minor to dispose of without specifying a purpose.

①A minor who is permitted to conduct one or multiple types of business has the same capacity to act as an adult as far as that business is concerned.

②In a case referred to in the preceding paragraph, if there are grounds that make the minor unable to sustain that business, the legal representative may revoke or limit the permission therefor in accordance with the provisions of Part IV (Relatives).

The family court may decide to commence a guardianship in respect of a person who constantly lacks the capacity to appreciate the person's own situation due to a mental disorder or disability, at the request of the person in question, that person's spouse, that person's relative within the fourth degree of kinship, the guardian of a minor, the supervisor of a minor's guardian, the curator, the curator's supervisor, the assistant, the assistant's supervisor, or a public prosecutor.

A person subject to a decision for commencement of guardianship becomes an adult ward, and an adult guardian is appointed for that person.

A juridical act performed by an adult ward may be revoked; provided, however, that this does not apply to the purchase of daily necessities or to any other act involved in day-to-day life.

If the grounds prescribed in Article 7 cease to exist, the family court must set aside the decision for the commencement of guardianship at the request of the person in question, that person's spouse, that person's relative within the fourth degree of kinship, the guardian (meaning a minor's guardian or an adult guardian; the same applies below), the guardian's supervisor (meaning the supervisor of a minor's guardian or the adult guardian's supervisor; the same applies below), or a public prosecutor.

The family court may decide to commence a curatorship in respect of a person whose capacity to appreciate their own situation is extremely inadequate due to a mental disorder or disability, at the request of the person in question, the person's spouse, the person's relative within the fourth degree of kinship, the guardian, the guardian's supervisor, the assistant, the assistant's supervisor, or a public prosecutor; provided, however, that this does not apply to a person in respect of whom a cause stated in Article 7 exists.

A person subject to a decision for commencement of curatorship becomes a person under curatorship, and a curator is appointed for that person.

①A person under curatorship must obtain the consent of the curator in order to perform any of the following acts; provided, however, that this does not apply to an act provided for in the proviso of Article 9:

②At the request of a person referred to in the main clause of Article 11 or the curator or curator's supervisor, the family court may decide that the person under curatorship must also obtain the consent of the curator before performing an act other than those stated in each of the items of the preceding paragraph; provided, however, that this does not apply to an act provided for in the proviso to Article 9.

③If the curator does not consent to an act for which the person under curatorship must obtain the curator's consent even though it is unlikely to prejudice the interests of the person under curatorship, the family court may grant permission that operates in lieu of the curator's consent at the request of the person under curatorship.

④An act for which the person under curatorship must obtain the curator's consent may be revoked if the person performs it without obtaining the curator's consent or a permission that operates in lieu of it.

①If the grounds prescribed in the main clause of Article 11 cease to exist, the family court must set aside the decision for the commencement of curatorship at the request of the person in question, that person's spouse, that person's relative within the fourth degree of kinship, the guardian of a minor, the supervisor of a minor's guardian, the curator, the curator's supervisor, or a public prosecutor.

②At the request of a person provided for in the preceding paragraph, the family court may set aside all or part of the decision referred to in paragraph (2) of the preceding Article.

①The family court may decide to commence an assistance in respect of a person whose capacity to appreciate their own situation is inadequate due to a mental disorder or disability, at the request of the person in question, that person's spouse, that person's relative within the fourth degree of kinship, the guardian, the guardian's supervisor, the curator, the curator's supervisor, or a public prosecutor; provided, however, that this does not apply to a person with respect to whom there are grounds as prescribed in Article 7 or the main clause of Article 11.

②The issuance of a decision for commencement of assistance at the request of a person other than the person in question requires the consent of the person in question.

③A decision for commencement of assistance must be made concurrent with a decision referred to in Article 17, paragraph (1) or a decision referred to in Article 876-9, paragraph (1).

A person subject to a decision for commencement of assistance becomes a person under assistantship, and an assistant is appointed for that person.

①At the request of the person referred to in the main clause of Article 15, paragraph (1) or the assistant or assistant's supervisor, the family court may decide that the person under assistantship must obtain the consent of the person's assistant in order to perform a specific juridical act; provided, however, that the acts that such a decision may establish as those for which the person must obtain the consent of the assistant are restricted to a part of the acts provided for in Article 13, paragraph (1).

②The issuance of a decision referred to in the preceding paragraph at the request of a person other than the person in question requires the consent of the person in question.

③If the assistant does not consent to an act for which the person under assistantship must obtain the assistant's consent even though it is unlikely to prejudice the interests of the person under assistantship, the family court may grant permission that operates in lieu of the assistant's consent, at the request of the person under assistantship.

④An act for which the person under assistantship must obtain the assistant's consent may be revoked if the person performs it without obtaining the assistance's consent or a permission that operates in lieu of it.