The incorporator (or the stock company after the formation of relevant stock company) must keep articles of incorporation at the place designated by the incorporator (or at the head office or branch office of the stock company after the formation of that stock company).
発起人（株式会社の成立後にあっては、当該株式会社）は、定款を発起人が定めた場所（株式会社の成立後にあっては、その本店及び支店）に備え置かなければならない。
The incorporator (or, after the formation of that stock company, the shareholder and creditor of that stock company) may submit the following request at any time during the hours designated by the incorporator (or, after the formation of the stock company, during the business hours of relevant stock company);provided, however, that the fees designated by the incorporator (or, after the formation of the stock company, relevant stock company) are required to be paid in order to submit the requests set forth in item (ii) or item (iv):
if articles of incorporation are prepared in writing, a request to inspect it;
定款が書面をもって作成されているときは、当該書面の閲覧の請求
a request for a transcript or extract of the articles of incorporation referred to in the preceding item;
前号の書面の謄本又は抄本の交付の請求
if articles of incorporation have been prepared as an electronic or magnetic record, a request to inspect anything that is used in a manner prescribed by Ministry of Justice Order to display the information recorded in that electronic or magnetic record; or
定款が電磁的記録をもって作成されているときは、当該電磁的記録に記録された事項を法務省令で定める方法により表示したものの閲覧の請求
a request to be provided with the information recorded in the electronic or magnetic record referred to in the preceding item by an electronic or magnetic means that the incorporators have designated (or, after the formation of the stock company, relevant stock company), or a request to be issued a document showing that information.
After the formation of a stock company, if it is necessary for the purpose of exercising the rights of a member of the parent company (meaning the shareholders and other members of the parent companies; the same applies hereinafter) of relevant stock company, the relevant member of the parent company may, with the permission of the court, make the requests set forth in each item of the preceding paragraph with respect to the articles of incorporation of relevant stock company;provided, however, that, in order to make the requests set forth in item (ii) or item (iv) of that paragraph, the fees designated by relevant stock company is required to be paid.
If articles of incorporation are prepared as an electronic or magnetic record, for the purpose of the application of the provisions of paragraph (1) with respect to a stock company which adopts the measures prescribed by Ministry of Justice Order as the measures that enable its branch offices to respond to the request set forth in paragraph (2), item (iii) and item (iv), the phrase "head office and branch office" in paragraph (1) is deemed to be replaced with "head office".