A stock company may split its shares.
株式会社は、株式の分割をすることができる。
Whenever a stock company intends to split its shares, it must prescribe the following matters by a resolution at a shareholders meeting (or at a board of directors meeting for a company with board of directors):
株式会社は、株式の分割をしようとするときは、その都度、株主総会（取締役会設置会社にあっては、取締役会）の決議によって、次に掲げる事項を定めなければならない。
the ratio of the total number of shares after the increase as a result of the share split to the total number of issued shares (or, for a company with class shares, issued shares of the classes under item (iii)) immediately before the share split, and the record date relating to that share split;
the day when the share split will become effective;
株式の分割がその効力を生ずる日
if the stock company is a company with class shares, the classes of the shares it splits.
株式会社が種類株式発行会社である場合には、分割する株式の種類
Read this with the articles around it
company with board of directors
「取締役会設置会社」
A stock company that has a board of directors, or that this Act requires to have one.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (1), item (vii)· applies throughout the law
company with class shares
「種類株式発行会社」
A stock company that issues two or more classes of shares with different terms on the matters listed in Article 108, paragraph (1), such as dividends of surplus or voting rights.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (1), item (xiii)· applies throughout the law
issued shares
「発行済株式」
The shares a stock company has issued.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (1), item (xxxi)
record date
「基準日」
A date a stock company sets so that the shareholders entered in its shareholder register on that date are the ones who may exercise a shareholder right, such as voting at a meeting or receiving a dividend.
Short name set inArticle 124, paragraph (1)· applies only in this chapter
board of directors
取締役会
The body made up of all of a stock company's directors (Companies Act, Article 362, paragraph (1)). It decides how the company's business is carried out, supervises the directors, and appoints and removes the representative directors (代表取締役) (Article 362, paragraphs (2) and (3)) — except in a company with a nominating committee and the other committees (指名委員会等設置会社), where it appoints representative executive officers (代表執行役) instead (Articles 416 and 420). Some decisions, such as disposing of important assets or borrowing a large amount, it normally may not hand to the directors (Article 362, paragraph (4)). A company with an audit and supervisory committee (監査等委員会設置会社) can hand more of them to directors (Article 399-13, paragraphs (5) and (6)), and a company with the committees hands them to executive officers (執行役) rather than directors (Article 416, paragraphs (3) and (4)). A company chooses in its articles of incorporation whether to have one (Article 326, paragraph (2)), but a public company (公開会社), among others, must (Article 327, paragraph (1)): a public company is one whose articles of incorporation let at least some of its shares change hands without the company's approval (Article 2, item (v)). A company with a board must have at least three directors (Article 331, paragraph (5)).
Written by AI using Companies Act, Arts. 2, 326, 327, 331, 362, 399-13, 416, 420 as a reference.
shareholders meeting
株主総会
The meeting of a stock company's shareholders, and the body through which they decide the company's basic matters. It elects the directors and company auditors (Companies Act, Article 329, paragraph (1)) and changes the articles of incorporation (Article 466). In a company without a board of directors it may decide any matter about the company; in one with a board, only what the Act or the articles of incorporation leave to it (Article 295). An annual shareholders meeting must be called after the end of every business year, and another may be called whenever needed (Article 296). A resolution normally passes by a majority of the votes present, with holders of a majority of the votes entitled to vote attending (Article 309, paragraph (1)).
Written by AI using Companies Act, Arts. 295, 296, 309, 329, 466 as a reference.