Chapter VIII Dissolution
第八章 解散
Article 471Grounds for Dissolution
第四百七十一条（解散の事由）
A stock company dissolves on the grounds set forth below:
株式会社は、次に掲げる事由によって解散する。
the expiration of the duration provided for in the articles of incorporation;
定款で定めた存続期間の満了
the grounds for dissolution provided for in the articles of incorporation;
定款で定めた解散の事由の発生
a resolution at a shareholders meeting;
株主総会の決議
merger (but only if the stock company disappears in the merger);
合併（合併により当該株式会社が消滅する場合に限る。）
a ruling to commence bankruptcy proceedings; or
破産手続開始の決定
judgment that orders the dissolution pursuant to the provisions of Article 824, paragraph (1) or Article 833, paragraph (1).
第八百二十四条第一項又は第八百三十三条第一項の規定による解散を命ずる裁判
Article 472Deemed Dissolution of Dormant Companies
第四百七十二条（休眠会社のみなし解散）
If the Minister of Justice gives a public notice to a dormant company (meaning a stock company for which twelve years have elapsed from the day when a registration regarding relevant stock company was last effected; hereinafter the same applies in this Article) in Official Gazette to the effect that the dormant company should submit a notice to the effect that it has not abolished its business pursuant to the provisions of Ministry of Justice Order to the register office that has jurisdiction over the area where dormant company's head office is located within two months, if that dormant company fails to submit that notice, the dormant company is deemed to have dissolved upon expiration of that two month period; provided, however, that this does not apply if any registration regarding relevant dormant company is effected during relevant period.
休眠会社（株式会社であって、当該株式会社に関する登記が最後にあった日から十二年を経過したものをいう。以下この条において同じ。）は、法務大臣が休眠会社に対し二箇月以内に法務省令で定めるところによりその本店の所在地を管轄する登記所に事業を廃止していない旨の届出をすべき旨を官報に公告した場合において、その届出をしないときは、その二箇月の期間の満了の時に、解散したものとみなす。ただし、当該期間内に当該休眠会社に関する登記がされたときは、この限りでない。
If the public notice has been given under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the register office must issue a notice to that effect to dormant companies.
Article 473Continuation of Companies
第四百七十三条（株式会社の継続）
If a stock company dissolves on the grounds set forth in Article 471, item (i) through item (iii) (including the cases where stock companies are deemed to have dissolved under the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article), the stock company may continue in existence by a resolution at a shareholders meeting until the completion of the liquidation under the provisions of the following Chapter (if the stock company is deemed to have dissolved pursuant to the provisions of that paragraph, limited to the completion within three years from the time of the deemed dissolution).
株式会社は、第四百七十一条第一号から第三号までに掲げる事由によって解散した場合（前条第一項の規定により解散したものとみなされた場合を含む。）には、次章の規定による清算が結了するまで（同項の規定により解散したものとみなされた場合にあっては、解散したものとみなされた後三年以内に限る。）、株主総会の決議によって、株式会社を継続することができる。
Article 474Restrictions on Mergers and Other Transactions of Dissolved Stock Companies
第四百七十四条（解散した株式会社の合併等の制限）
If a stock company has dissolved, relevant stock company may not carry out the following acts:
株式会社が解散した場合には、当該株式会社は、次に掲げる行為をすることができない。
merger (but only if the stock company survives the merger);
合併（合併により当該株式会社が存続する場合に限る。）
succession by absorption-type company split to some or all of the rights and obligations held by another company with respect to relevant company's business.
company
「会社」
Any of the four kinds of company this Act governs: a stock company (株式会社), a general partnership company (合名会社), a limited partnership company (合資会社) or a limited liability company (合同会社).
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (1), item (i)· applies throughout the law
absorption-type company split
「吸収分割」
A stock company or limited liability company's handing over all or part of the rights and obligations of its business to another existing company, which takes them over.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (1), item (xxix)· applies throughout the law
dormant company
「休眠会社」
A stock company about which nothing has been registered for twelve years, and which is treated as dissolved if it does not answer the Minister of Justice's notice in the Official Gazette within two months saying it is still in business.
Defined inArticle 472, paragraph (1)· applies only in this article
articles of incorporation
定款
A company's own basic rules, written by its founders when it is formed: at least its purpose, its trade name, where its head office is, the value of the property contributed at incorporation and who the founders are (Companies Act, Article 27). A stock company's must be certified by a notary before it takes effect (Article 30, paragraph (1)), and can later be changed by a resolution of the shareholders meeting (Article 466). Many rules in the Act apply "unless the articles of incorporation provide otherwise", so a company's articles decide a great deal of how the Act applies to it.
Written by AI using Companies Act, Arts. 26, 27, 30, 466, 575 as a reference.
registration
登記
Entry in a public register kept by a registry office (登記所) — a Legal Affairs Bureau or one of its branch offices — so that the matter is made public (Real Property Registration Act, Articles 1 and 6, paragraph (1)). Rights in land and buildings, such as ownership, a superficies (地上権), a statutory lien (先取特権), a mortgage and a right of lease (賃借権), can be registered under that Act (Article 3), and matters the Commercial Code, the Companies Act and other Acts require to be registered are registered under the Commercial Registration Act (Article 1). Registration also lets a right be asserted against third parties: acquiring, losing or changing a right in rem (物権) in land or a building, such as ownership, cannot be asserted against third parties until it is registered (Civil Code, Article 177), and a matter the Companies Act requires to be registered cannot be asserted against a third party who does not know of it until it has been registered, nor, even after that, against one who had a justifiable reason for not knowing of the registration (Companies Act, Article 908, paragraph (1)).
Written by AI using Real Property Registration Act, Arts. 1, 3, 6, Commercial Registration Act, Art. 1, Civil Code, Art. 177 and Companies Act, Art. 908 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.