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Commercial Code

商法(しょうほう)

About this law
264 articlesChecked against e-Gov on 5 November 2026
An amendment to this law is already promulgated but not yet in force. The text below does not include it.What they change

Contents

Read it chapter by chapter; the first chapter follows below. Or read the whole law on one page.

  1. Part I General Provisions第一編 総則
  2. Chapter I General Rules第一章 通則Articles 1–3 · 3
  3. Chapter II Merchants第二章 商人Articles 4–7 · 4
  4. Chapter III Commercial Registration第三章 商業登記Articles 8–10 · 3
  5. Chapter IV Trade Names第四章 商号Articles 11–18-2 · 9
  6. Chapter V Commercial Books第五章 商業帳簿Article 19
  7. Chapter VI Mercantile Employees第六章 商業使用人Articles 20–26 · 7
  8. Chapter VII Commercial Agents第七章 代理商Articles 27–32 · 6
  9. Part II Commercial Transactions第二編 商行為
  10. Chapter I General Provisions第一章 総則Articles 501–522 · 19
  11. Chapter II Sales Transactions第二章 売買Articles 524–528 · 5
  12. Chapter III Open Accounts第三章 交互計算Articles 529–534 · 6
  13. Chapter IV Silent Partnerships第四章 匿名組合Articles 535–542 · 8
  14. Chapter V Brokerage Business第五章 仲立営業Articles 543–550 · 8
  15. Chapter VI Business of Commission Merchants第六章 問屋営業Articles 551–558 · 8
  16. Chapter VII Freight Forwarding Business第七章 運送取扱営業Articles 559–565 · 7
  17. Chapter VIII Transportation Business第八章 運送営業Articles 569–594 · 26
  18. Chapter IX Bailment第九章 寄託Articles 595–618 · 24
  19. Part III Maritime Commerce第三編 海商
  20. Chapter I Ships第一章 船舶Articles 684–707 · 24
  21. Chapter II Ships' Master第二章 船長Articles 708–716 · 9
  22. Chapter III Special Provisions on Marine Transportation of Goods第三章 海上物品運送に関する特則Articles 737–771 · 35
  23. Chapter IV Collision of Ships第四章 船舶の衝突Articles 788–791 · 4
  24. Chapter V Marine Salvage第五章 海難救助Articles 792–807 · 16
  25. Chapter VI General Average第六章 共同海損Articles 808–813 · 6
  26. Chapter VII Marine Insurance第七章 海上保険Articles 815–831 · 17
  27. Chapter VIII Statutory Liens on Ships and Mortgages on Ships第八章 船舶先取特権及び船舶抵当権Articles 842–850 · 9
3 articles

The Commercial Code is established as set out in the Separate Volume.

商法別冊ノ通之ヲ定ム

The date on which this Act comes into effect is specified by Imperial Ordinance.

此法律施行ノ期日ハ勅令ヲ以テ之ヲ定ム

is repealed, except for Book III, as of the day on which this Act comes into effect.

商法ハ第三編ヲ除ク外此法律施行ノ日ヨリ之ヲ廃止ス

(Separate Volume)

(別冊)

Chapter I General Rules

第一章 通則

Article 1Purpose

第一条(趣旨等)

The business of merchants, commercial transactions, and other commercial matters are governed by the provisions of this Code, except as otherwise provided by other laws.

商人の営業、商行為その他商事については、他の法律に特別の定めがあるものを除くほか、この法律の定めるところによる。

A commercial matter not provided for in this Code is governed by commercial custom, and if there is no commercial custom, it is governed by the provisions of the Civil Code (Act No. 89 of 1896).

商事に関し、この法律に定めがない事項については商慣習に従い、商慣習がないときは、民法(明治二十九年法律第八十九号)の定めるところによる。

Commercial transactions conducted by public corporations are governed by the provisions of this Code, except as otherwise provided for by laws and regulations.

公法人が行う商行為については、法令に別段の定めがある場合を除き、この法律の定めるところによる。

If an act constitutes a commercial transaction for one of the parties, this Code applies to both parties.

当事者の一方のために商行為となる行為については、この法律をその双方に適用する。

If two or more persons form one of the parties and an act constitutes a commercial transaction for any one of them, this Code applies to all of them.

当事者の一方が二人以上ある場合において、その一人のために商行為となる行為については、この法律をその全員に適用する。

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