Changes by (Act No. 39 of 2025)
A document other than those prescribed in Article 321 through the preceding Article may be used as evidence only if the document is:
第三百二十一条から前条までに掲げる書面以外の書面は、次に掲げるものに限り、これを証拠とすることができる。
Changes by (Act No. 39 of 2025)
a transcript of a family register, a transcript of a notarized deed or other documents on facts which a government employee (including an officer of a foreign government) may certify and which is made by that government employee;
戸籍謄本、公正証書謄本その他公務員（外国の公務員を含む。）がその職務上証明することができる事実についてその公務員の作成した書面
Changes by (Act No. 39 of 2025)
an account book, a log book and other documents prepared in the ordinary course of business;
商業帳簿、航海日誌その他業務の通常の過程において作成された書面
Changes by (Act No. 39 of 2025)
a document other than those prescribed in the preceding two items made under circumstances that afford special credibility.
前二号に掲げるもののほか特に信用すべき情況の下に作成された書面
notarial deed
公正証書
A document drawn up by a notary (公証人), a public officer appointed by the Minister of Justice, at the request of the people concerned (Notary Act, Articles 1 and 11). A notary will not draw one up for anything unlawful or void (Article 26). In the Act on Land and Building Leases it decides whether a lease can end without renewal: a contract for a land lease of 10 to under 50 years for a building used only for business must be made by notarial deed (Article 23, paragraph (3)), while the terms of a land lease of 50 years or more that rule out renewal, and a building lease with no renewal, need only be "in writing, such as a notarial deed" (Article 22, paragraph (1), and Article 38, paragraph (1)), so an ordinary written contract is enough for those two.
Written by AI using Notary Act, Arts. 1, 11, 26 and Act on Land and Building Leases, Arts. 22, 23, 38 as a reference.