①If, in soliciting consumers to conclude consumer contracts, a trader, a directly or indirectly entrusted party, or the agent of a trader or directly or indirectly entrusted party (hereinafter referred to as a "trader, entrusted party, or agent" in this paragraph and Article 43, paragraph (2), item (i)) has been taking or is likely to take an act provided for in Article 4, paragraphs (1) through (4) (other than in the case falling under the proviso to paragraph (2) of that Article for acts prescribed in paragraph (2); the same applies in the following paragraph) against a large, non-exclusive group of consumers, a qualified consumer organization may demand that the trader, entrusted party, or agent to cease or prevent the act, or dispose of or remove materials used, or otherwise take necessary measures to stop or prevent the act; provided, however, that this does not apply if laws other than the Civil Code and the Commercial Code do not permit the consumer contract to be rescinded on the grounds of that act.

②If, in soliciting consumers to conclude consumer contracts, a person set forth in one of the following items has been taking or is likely to take an act provided for in Article 4, paragraphs (1) through (4) against a large, non-exclusive group of consumers, a qualified consumer organization may demand that the person provided for in the items instruct the person set forth in that item to rectify this or stop the person set forth in that item from inducing customers into consumer contracts, or otherwise take necessary measures to stop or prevent that act. In this case, the provisions of the proviso to the preceding paragraph apply mutatis mutandis:

③If, when entering into consumer contracts, a trader or its agent has been manifesting or is likely to manifest the intention to be bound by the offer of a consumer contract that includes any clause as referred to in Articles 8 through 10 (excluding a consumer contract clause under Article 8, paragraph (1), item (i) or (ii) that falls under paragraph (2) of that Article; the same applies to the following paragraph and Article 12-3, paragraph (1)) or to be bound by the acceptance of such an offer with a large, non-exclusive group of consumers, a qualified consumer organization may demand that the trader or its agent cease or prevent that act or dispose of or remove materials used, or otherwise take necessary measures to stop or prevent that act; provided, however, that this does not apply if the relevant clauses are not nullified based on laws other than the Civil Code and the Commercial Code.

④If, when entering into consumer contracts, a trader's agent has been manifesting or is likely to manifest the intention to be bound by the offer of a consumer contract that includes any clause as referred to in Articles 8 through 10 or by the acceptance of such an offer with a large, non-exclusive group of consumers, a qualified consumer organization may demand that the trader or the other agent whose agent it is, instruct the agent to rectify this or stop that agent from inducing consumers into consumer contracts, or otherwise take necessary measures to stop or prevent that act. In this case, the provisions of the proviso to the preceding paragraph apply mutatis mutandis.

①It is not permissible to file a demand based on the preceding Article, Article 34, paragraph (1) of the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations (Act No. 134 of 1962), Articles 58-18 through 58-24 of the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (Act No. 57 of 1976), or Article 11 of the Food Labeling Act (Act No. 70 of 2013) (hereinafter referred to as a "demand for injunction") in the following cases:

②The main clause of item (ii) of the preceding paragraph does not preclude a person from filing a demand for an injunction in the case as set forth in the main clause of that item based on grounds arising after the conclusion of oral arguments in the litigation subject to the final and binding judgment in question, or based on grounds arising after the establishment of anything with the same effect as a final and binding judgment.

①If, when entering into consumer contracts, there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a trader or its agent has been manifesting or is likely to manifest the intention to be bound by the offer of a consumer contract that includes any clause as referred to in Articles 8 through 10 or to be bound by the acceptance of such an offer with a large, non-exclusive group of consumers, a qualified consumer organization may, after indicating the reason, demand that the trader or its agent disclose said clause, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order; provided, however, that this does not apply if the trader or its agent has published the clauses of the consumer contract including said clause through the Internet or through other appropriate methods.

②The trader or its agent must endeavor to respond to the requests under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

①If there are grounds to suspect that the total amounts of damages or fixed penalties pertaining to the cancellation of a consumer contract in a clause stipulating said damages or fixed penalties exceed the average amount of damages provided for Article 9, paragraph (1), item (i), a qualified consumer organization may, after indicating the reason, demand that the trader specifying said clause explain the grounds for calculations pertaining to the clause, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

②The trader must endeavor to respond to the requests under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, excluding cases where trade secrets (meaning trade secrets as prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (6) of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act (Act No. 47 of 1993) )are included in the grounds for calculations in the previous paragraph and cases with other justifiable grounds.

①If the trader or its agent is obliged upon a demand pursuant to Article 12, paragraph (3) or paragraph (4) to discontinue, prevent, or take necessary measures for discontinuing or preventing the conduct prescribed in these provisions, the qualified consumer organization that made the demand may demand that the trader or its agent disclose the content of the measures they have taken to perform said obligations, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

②The trader or its agent must endeavor to respond to the requests under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

①A person seeking to provide services related to the right to demand an injunction (meaning the service of exercising the right to demand an injunction to protect the interests of a large, non-exclusive group of consumers; the collection of the necessary information on damage to consumers in order to perform that service; and services involved in collecting and providing information on the results of its exercise of the right to demand an injunction which contributes to prevention and remedy of harm to consumers; the same applies hereinafter) must be certified to do so by the Prime Minister.

②A person seeking to be certified as referred to in the preceding paragraph must file an application for certification with the Prime Minister.

③The Prime Minister may grant certification as referred to in paragraph (1) to a person applying for certification as referred to in the preceding paragraph only if that person meets all of the following requirements:

④The operational rules mentioned in item (iii) of the preceding paragraph must set forth the way of implementing services related to the right to demand an injunction, the way of managing and maintaining the confidentiality of information obtained in the course of providing those services, and other matters prescribed by Cabinet Office Order. In this case, the way of implementing services related to the right to demand an injunction set forth in the operational rules must include measures for obtaining advice from and hearing the opinions of an expert advisor in the department responsible for the reviews provided for in item (v) of the preceding paragraph; measures for when an officer, employee, or expert advisor and the other party of the demand for an injunction have special interests, and other measures for ensuring that services are implemented fairly.

⑤A person falling under any of the following items may not be certified pursuant to paragraph (1):

①To apply for certification as referred to in paragraph (2) of the preceding Article, a person must submit a written application stating the following information to the Prime Minister:

②The following documents must accompany the application form as referred to in the preceding paragraph:

①When a person has applied for certification under the preceding Article, the Prime Minister must issue public notice of this and the particulars set forth in paragraph (1), items (i) and (ii) of the same Article, as well as make the documents set forth in the items of paragraph (2) (excluding item (vi)(b), item (ix), and item (xi)) of that Article available for public inspection for two weeks after the public notice.

②Before granting a certification as referred to in Article 13, paragraph (1), the Prime Minister is to hear the opinion of the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry regarding whether grounds as provided for in Article 13, paragraph (3), item (ii) exist.

③If the Prime Minister suspects a person applying for certification under the preceding Article to fall under Article 13, paragraph (5), item (iii) or (iv) or item (vi)(c), the Prime Minister is to seek the opinion of the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency.

①Pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order, once the Prime Minister has certified a qualified consumer organization as referred to in Article 13, paragraph (1), the Prime Minister is to issue public notice of its name and address, the office address at which it will provide services related to the right to demand an injunction, and the date of the certification, as well as notify the qualified consumer organization in writing to that effect.

②A qualified consumer organization must, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order, post a notice to the effect that it is a qualified consumer organization so that it is easily visible at the office where it provides services related to the right to demand an injunction, and make that fact available for public inspection by automatic public transmission (meaning automatically transmitting information in response to a request from the public with the aim of its being directly received by the public, excluding transmission that falls under broadcasting or cable broadcasting) conducted through connection to a telecommunications line.

③A person that is not a qualified consumer organization must not use any letters or characters in its name that is likely to mislead the public to believe that it is a qualified consumer organization, and must not give any indication regarding its operations that is likely mislead the public to believe that it is a qualified consumer organization.

①The certification referred to in Article 13, paragraph (1) is valid for six years from the date of the certification.

②A qualified consumer organization seeking to continue to provide services related to the right to demand an injunction after the end of the term of validity referred to in the preceding paragraph must have the term of validity extended.

③A qualified consumer organization seeking to have the term of validity referred to in the preceding paragraph extended, must apply to the Prime Minister for renewal of this term of validity referred to in paragraph (1) during the period from 60 to 90 days prior to the day on which it expires (hereinafter referred to as "renewal application period"); provided, however, that this does not apply if the person cannot apply for a renewal during the renewal application period due to a disaster or other compelling reasons.

④If a person has applied for a renewal as referred to in the preceding paragraph but the application is not processed by the day on which the term of validity referred to in paragraph (1) expires, the prior certification remains valid even after the term of validity expires, until the application is processed.

⑤In the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, when the term of validity is renewed as referred to in paragraph (2), the term of validity of that certification is to start from the day following the date on which the term of validity for the prior certification expires.

⑥The provisions of Article 13 (excluding paragraph (1) and paragraph (5), item (ii)), Article 14, Article 15, and paragraph (1) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to the renewal of a term of validity as referred to in paragraph (2); provided, however, that documents as set forth in the items of Article 14, paragraph (2) need not be attached to the renewal application if the content of the documents that have already been submitted to the Prime Minister has not changed.

If the matters as set forth in one of the items of Article 14, paragraph (1) or the matters stated in the document as set forth in one of the items of paragraph (2) of that Article (excluding items (ii) and (xi)) has changed, a qualified consumer organization must notify the Prime Minister of this without delay and pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order; provided, however, that this does not apply if the change is prescribed by Cabinet Office Order as being minor.

①If a corporation that is a qualified consumer organization merges with another corporation that is a qualified consumer organization, the corporation remaining in existence after the merger or the corporation incorporated in the merger succeeds to the status that the corporation disappearing in the merger held as a qualified consumer organization under this Act.

②A corporation, pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, which has succeeded to the status that the corporation disappearing in a merger held as a qualified consumer organization under this Act, must notify the Prime Minister to that effect without delay.

③If a corporation that is a qualified consumer organization merges (except when the corporation that is a qualified consumer organization continues to exist; the same applies in this Article and Article 22, item (ii)) with a corporation that is not a qualified consumer organization, the corporation remaining in existence after the merger or the corporation incorporated in the merger succeeds to the status that the corporation disappearing in the merger held as a qualified consumer organization under this Act, only if the Prime Minister has approved the merger.

④A corporation that is a qualified consumer organization and a corporation that is not a qualified consumer organization that are both seeking the approval referred to in the preceding paragraph must jointly apply to the Prime Minister for the approval during the period from 60 to 90 days before the date on which the merger is to take effect (hereinafter referred to in this paragraph as "approval application period"); provided, however, that this does not apply if the organization cannot apply for approval during the approval application period due to a disaster or other compelling reasons.

⑤If an organization has applied for approval as referred to in the preceding paragraph but the application is not processed by the date on which the merger takes effect, the corporation remaining in existence after the merger or the corporation incorporated in the merger is deemed to succeed to the status that the corporation disappearing in the merger held as a qualified consumer organization under this Act, until the application is processed.

⑥The provisions of Article 13 (excluding paragraph (1)), Article 14, Article 15, and Article 16, paragraph (1) apply mutatis mutandis to the approval referred to in paragraph (3).

⑦If a corporation that is a qualified consumer organization merges with a corporation that is not a qualified consumer organization but does not apply for the approval referred to in paragraph (4), it must file a notification to that effect with the Prime Minister by the day on which the merger takes effect.

⑧If a person has filed a notification as provided under paragraph (2) or the preceding paragraph, the Prime Minister is to issue public notice to that effect pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

①If a corporation that is a qualified consumer organization transfers the entirety of its business involving services related to the right to demand an injunction to another corporation that is a qualified consumer organization, the transferee succeeds to the status that the transferor held as a qualified consumer organization under this Act.

②A corporation, pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, which has succeeded to the status that the transferor held as a qualified consumer organization under this Act, must notify the Prime Minister to that effect without delay.

③If a corporation that is a qualified consumer organization transfers the entirety of its business involving services related to the right to demand an injunction to another corporation that is not a qualified consumer organization, the transferee succeeds to the status that the transferor held as a qualified consumer organization under this Act, only if the Prime Minister has approved the transfer.

④A corporation that is a qualified consumer organization and a corporation that is not a qualified consumer organization that are both seeking the approval referred to in the preceding paragraph must jointly apply to the Prime Minister for the approval during the period from 60 to 90 days before the date of the transfer (hereinafter referred to in this paragraph as the "approval application period"); provided, however, that this does not apply if the organization cannot apply for the approval during the approval application period due to a disaster or other compelling reasons.

⑤If a person has applied for the approval as referred to in the preceding paragraph but the application is not processed by the date of the transfer, the transferee is deemed to succeed to the status that the transferor held as a qualified consumer organization under this Act, until the application is processed.

⑥The provisions of Article 13 (excluding paragraph (1)), Article 14, Article 15, and Article 16, paragraph (1) apply mutatis mutandis to the approval referred to in paragraph (3).

⑦If a corporation that is a qualified consumer organization transfers the entirety of its business involving services related to the right to demand an injunction to another corporation that is not a qualified consumer organization, but does not apply for the approval referred to in paragraph (4), it must file a notification to that effect with the Prime Minister by the date of the transfer.

⑧If a person has filed a notification as provided under paragraph (2) or the preceding paragraph, the Prime Minister is to issue public notice to that effect pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

①If a qualified consumer organization comes to fall under any of the following items, the person set forth in that item must file a notification to that effect with the Prime Minister without delay:

②If a person has filed a notification as provided under the preceding paragraph, the Prime Minister is to issue public notice to that effect pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

If any of the following grounds arises with regard to a qualified consumer organization, the certification referred to in Article 13, paragraph (1) ceases to be effective:

①A qualified consumer organization must appropriately exercise its right to demand an injunction in the interest of a large, non-exclusive group of consumers.

②A qualified consumer organization must not abuse its right to demand an injunction.

③A qualified consumer organization, in addition to exercising its right to demand an injunction jointly with other qualified consumer organizations in accordance with the nature of the cases, must endeavor to cooperate and coordinate with those organizations in providing services related to the right to demand an injunction.

④In the following cases, a qualified consumer organization must notify that fact to other qualified consumer organizations pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order as well as report the fact, its details and other matters prescribed by Cabinet Office Order to the Prime Minister without delay. In this case, if the qualified consumer organization in lieu of the notification or report takes measures that enables all of the qualified consumer organizations and the Prime Minister to access the same information by electronic or magnetic means (meaning through the use of an electronic data processing system or any other application of information and communications technology; the same applies hereinafter) which are prescribed by Cabinet Office Order, the qualified consumer organization is deemed to have made a notification to those organizations and have made a report to the Prime Minister:

⑤Having received a report under the preceding paragraph, the Prime Minister is to communicate the date and time of the report, an outline thereof, and any other matters specified by Cabinet Office Order to other qualified consumer organizations and to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, by taking measures that enable all of the qualified consumer organizations as well as the Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry to access the same information by using electronic or magnetic means, or in any other ways prescribed by Cabinet Office Order.

⑥If there is a matter for which compulsory execution may be carried out in the final judgment or equally binding disposition as referred to in the main clause of Article 12-2, paragraph (1), item (ii), a qualified consumer organization may not waive the right to demand an injunction pertaining to the final judgment.

In exercising the right to demand an injunction (including a litigation involving a request to confirm the absence of a right to demand an injunction or a related obligation; the same applies in Article 28), a qualified consumer organization must obtain consent from the consumer in advance, in using information that it has collected from a consumer on damage suffered by that consumer, if it will use the information in such a way that the other party or third parties can identify the consumer suffering the damage.

It is prohibited for the past or present officer, employee, or expert advisor of a qualified consumer organization to disclose confidential information learned while providing services related to the right to demand an injunction, without legitimate grounds for doing so.

A person engaged in providing services related to the right to demand an injunction at a qualified consumer organization must disclose the name of the organization, one's own name and title or position at the organization, and other matters specified by Cabinet Office Order to the other party upon its request, when providing those services.

A qualified consumer organization must endeavor to inform consumers of the content of the judgments involving demand for injunction (including anything with the same effect as a final and binding judgment, and also including decisions on petitions for provisional disposition orders) or of extra-judicial settlements, and other necessary information in order to contribute to preventing and remedying consumer damage.

①Except in the following cases, it is prohibited for a qualified consumer organization to receive money or any other financial benefit from the other party of the demand for injunction, in the form of a contribution or donation or under any other name, in relation to its exercise of the right to demand an injunction:

②It is prohibited for the officer, employee, or expert advisor of a qualified consumer organization to receive money or any other financial benefit from the other party of the demand for injunction filed by the qualified consumer organization, in the form of a contribution or donation or under any other name, related to the organization's exercise of the right to demand an injunction.

③It is prohibited for a qualified consumer organization or its officer, employees, or expert advisor to have a third party receive money or any other financial benefit from the other party of the demand for injunction filed by the qualified consumer organization, in the form of a contribution or donation or under any other name, related to the organization's exercise of the right to demand an injunction.

④A financial benefit that a qualified consumer organization is prohibited from receiving or from having a third party receive from the other party of the demand for injunction as provided for in the preceding three paragraphs does not include a financial benefit that the organization has received or had a third party receive as compensation for damage caused by a tort committed by the other party with respect to the exercise of the right to demand an injunction.

⑤If a qualified consumer organization receives a financial benefit as provided for in one of the items of paragraph (1), it must set aside an equivalent amount of money to cover the costs required for the services related to the right to demand an injunction.

⑥A qualified consumer organization must establish in its articles of incorporation that if it discontinues its services related to the right to demand an injunction or stops providing those services due to the expiration (excluding those due to discontinuation of services related to the right to demand an injunction) or rescission of the certification referred to in Article 13, paragraph (1) while a surplus to the reserve fund (meaning an amount set aside pursuant to the preceding paragraph) remains, that the surplus is to belong to another qualified consumer organization (if a qualified consumer organization has succeeded to the right to demand an injunction pursuant to Article 35, that qualified consumer organization) if there is one, and if not, the surplus is to belong to a consumer organization that conforms to the requirements set forth in Article 13, paragraph (3), item (ii) and specified by the Prime Minister or is to be vested in the State.

①A qualified consumer organization may engage in services other than services related to the right to demand an injunction as provided by the articles of incorporation, to the extent that it does not adversely affect services related to the right to demand an injunction.

②A qualified consumer organization must separate the accounting for each of the services set forth below:

A qualified consumer organization must prepare and retain books and documents related to its services and accounting pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

①A qualified consumer organization must prepare an inventory of its property, etc. and a business report for the business year (including electronic or magnetic records (meaning records used in computerized data processing which are prepared in electronic form, magnetic form, or any other form that cannot be perceived by the human senses; hereinafter the same applies in this Article), if these are prepared in lieu of written documents; hereinafter referred to as "financial statements" in item (v) of the following paragraph and Article 53, item (vi)), within three months from the last day of each business year.

②The following documents must be kept in the office of a qualified consumer organization pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order:

③Any person may make one of the following requests at any time during the business hours of a qualified consumer organization; provided, however, that when making a request as set forth in item (ii) or (iv), the person must pay the fees set forth by the qualified consumer organization:

④A qualified consumer organization may not refuse a request set forth in one of the items of the preceding paragraph except when there are reasonable grounds to do so.

⑤A qualified consumer organization must submit the documents provided for in paragraph (2), items (iii) through (vi) to the Prime Minister within three months from the last day of each business year.

①The Prime Minister may have a qualified consumer organization report on its operational and accounting conditions, and may have relevant officials enter its offices, inspect its operational conditions or books, documents, and other objects, and question the persons concerned, to the extent necessary for the implementation of this Act.

②When entering a qualified consumer organization's office pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, an official must carry an identification card and show it to the persons concerned.

③The authority for on-site inspection provided for in paragraph (1) must not be construed as being approved for the purposes of criminal investigation.

①On finding that a qualified consumer organization has ceased to meet any of the requirements as set forth in Article 13, paragraph (3), items (ii) through (vii), the Prime Minister may order the qualified consumer organization to take necessary measures to meet the requirements.

②In addition to what is provided for in the preceding paragraph, when the Prime Minister finds that a qualified consumer organization has come to fall under any of the provisions of Article 13, paragraph (5), items (iii) through (vi), that a qualified consumer organization or its officer, employees, or expert advisor has violated the provisions of this Act in performing services related to the right to demand an injunction, or that it is otherwise necessary to do so in order to ensure that a qualified consumer organization provides the services properly, the Prime Minister may order the qualified consumer organization to improve its personnel system, cease the violation, modify its operational rules, or take other measures necessary to improve its operations.

①The Prime Minister may rescind the certification of a qualified consumer organization as referred to in Article 13, paragraph (1) if any of the grounds in the following items exists:

②If a qualified consumer organization in violation of the provisions of Article 23, paragraph (4) does not make a notification or report prescribed in the paragraph and commits an act prescribed in Article 23, paragraph (4), item (x) with regard to a demand for an injunction, the Prime Minister may deem that grounds as provided in paragraph (1), item (iv) exist for that qualified consumer organization.

③In the case set forth in the main clause of Article 12-2, paragraph (1), item (ii), when the other qualified consumer organization's certification pursuant to Article 13, paragraph (1) has already expired due to the grounds set forth in the items of Article 22, or has already been rescinded due to the grounds set forth in the items of Article 22, paragraph (1) (excluding the grounds set forth in item (iv) of paragraph (1) with regard to the proceedings for the litigation in which there was a final judgment or equally binding disposition) or the items of Article 92, paragraph (2) of Act on Special Measures for Court Proceedings for Consumers, and the Prime Minister finds that grounds set forth in Article 22, paragraph (1), item (iv) as regards that other qualified consumer organization exist for the legal proceedings for which there was a final judgment or equally binding disposition (including the cases in which those grounds may be deemed to exist pursuant to the preceding paragraph), the Prime Minister may certify that this is the case for the corporation that used to be the other qualified consumer organization.

④The corporation that used to be the other qualified consumer organization provided for in the preceding paragraph is deemed to continue to exist after the conclusion of its liquidation as regards the application of that paragraph.

⑤Having rescinded a certification as referred to in Article 13, paragraph (1) due to reasons set forth in the items of paragraph (1), or having found, pursuant to paragraph (3), that the grounds as set forth in paragraph (1), item (iv) exist, the Prime Minister is to issue public notice of this and of the date of the rescission or finding, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order, and notify the qualified consumer organization or the corporation that used to be the other qualified consumer organization of this in writing.

①When there is a matter compulsory execution may be carried out in the final judgment or equally binding disposition as referred to in the main clause of Article 12-2, paragraph (1), item (ii), if a qualified consumer organization's certification pursuant to Article 13, paragraph (1) expires due to reasons set forth in one of the items of Article 22, or is to be rescinded due to reasons set forth in the items of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article or one of the items of Article 92, paragraph (2) of Act on Special Measures for Court Proceedings for Consumers, or has already expired or has been rescinded due to those reasons, the Prime Minister is to designate another qualified consumer organization to succeed to the right to seek an injunction held by the qualified consumer organization.

②When a designation under the preceding paragraph has been made, the qualified consumer organization that has been designated succeeds to the right to seek an injunction referred to in that paragraph at the time of the designation (if the designation is made after the expiration or rescission of the certification, retroactively from the time of its expiration or rescission).

③In the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, if a qualified consumer organization that succeeded to the right to seek an injunction pursuant to that paragraph files a demand for injunction based on that right, the main clause of Article 12-2, paragraph (1), item (ii) does not apply to that demand.

④The Prime Minister must rescind the designation of a qualified consumer organization that has been designated pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), paragraph (6), or paragraph (7) (hereinafter referred to as a "designated qualified consumer organization" from this paragraph to paragraph (7)), if any of the grounds in the following items arises:

⑤The Prime Minister may rescind the designation of a designated qualified consumer organization if any of the grounds in the following items arises:

⑥If the Prime Minister rescinds or has already rescinded the designation of a designated qualified consumer organization due to reasons set forth in paragraph (4), item (i) or in item (i) of the preceding paragraph, the Prime Minister is to newly designate another qualified consumer organization as a qualified consumer organization that should succeed to the right to demand an injunction that the designated qualified consumer organization has succeeded to.

⑦In rescinding designation of a designated qualified consumer organization due to reasons set forth in paragraph (4), item (ii) or paragraph (5), item (ii), the Prime Minister is to newly designate the former qualified consumer organization as a qualified consumer organization that should succeed to the right to demand an injunction that the qualified consumer organization has succeeded to.

⑧Once a new designation under the preceding two paragraphs is made, the right to demand an injunction referred to in the preceding two paragraphs is succeeded to by the newly designated qualified consumer organization at the time of the new designation (if the new designation has been made after the rescission of a former designation, the succession is retroactive to the time that the former designation was rescinded (if a former designation was rescinded and a new designation was made after the expiration of a former qualified consumer organization's certification pursuant to Article 13, paragraph (1), the succession is retroactive to the time that the certification expired)).

⑨The provisions of paragraph (3) apply mutatis mutandis to the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, when the qualified consumer organization succeeding to the right to demand an injunction pursuant to the preceding paragraph files a demand for injunction based on that right.

⑩Having made a designation under paragraph (1), (6), or (7), the Prime Minister, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order, is to issue public notice of this and of the date of the designation, and notify the designated qualified consumer organization of this in writing. The same applies if the Prime Minister rescinds the designation pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (4) or (5).

A qualified consumer organization may not be utilized for the benefit of a political party or for a political purpose.

On finding it to be necessary to do so in order to implement this Act, the Prime Minister may make inquiries to government agencies, other public entities, and other persons or request their cooperation.

If the persons listed in the following items find that, because there is sufficient reason to suspect that there are grounds as prescribed in the following items with regard to a qualified consumer organization, it is necessary for the Prime Minister to take proper measures against the qualified consumer organization, the person may express an opinion to that effect to the Prime Minister:

①In order to contribute to preventing and remedying harm to consumers, upon receipt of a report under Article 23, paragraph (4), items (iv) through (ix) and item (xi) from a qualified consumer organization, the Prime Minister is to immediately make public using the Internet or by other appropriate means, any judgment on a demand for an injunction (including anything with the same effect as a final and binding judgment and any decision on a petition for a provisional disposition order), a summary of any extra-judicial settlement, the name of the qualified consumer organization in question, the name of the other party to the demand for injunction, and other matters specified by Cabinet Office Order.

②In addition to the particulars provided for in the preceding paragraph, the Prime Minister may make public using the Internet or by other appropriate means, the name and the address of the qualified consumer organization, the location of the office at which it provides services connected with the right to demand an injunction, or any other necessary information specified by Cabinet Office Order in order to disseminate information about services related to the right to demand an injunction to the citizens.

③The Prime Minister may have the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan provide services related to disclosure of the information prescribed in the preceding two paragraphs.

①At the request of a qualified consumer organization and pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order, the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan and local public entities may provide the qualified consumer organization with the information related to consumer affairs consultations and consumer disputes (meaning consumer disputes as prescribed in Article 1-2, paragraph (1) of the Act on National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan (Act. No. 123 of 2002)) specified by Cabinet Office Order, to the extent necessary to enable the qualified consumer organization to properly exercise its right to demand an injunction.

②A qualified consumer organization that receives information prescribed in the preceding paragraph may not use or offer that information for any purposes other than to properly exercise its right to demand an injunction.

①Before filing a lawsuit regarding demand for injunction, a qualified consumer organization first makes a written demand for injunction detailing the substance of the demand, the points of the dispute, and any other matters specified by Cabinet Office Order to the person that would become the defendant of the lawsuit, and may not institute a lawsuit until after one week has passed from the time that the written demand has been received; provided, however, that this does not apply if the would-be defendant refuses to accept the demand for injunction.

②The demand as referred to in the preceding paragraph is deemed to have arrived at the time that it ordinarily would arrive.

③The provisions of the preceding two paragraphs apply mutatis mutandis to a petition for a provisional disposition order related to a demand for injunction.

For the purpose of calculating the value of the subject matter of litigation, a lawsuit regarding demand for injunction is deemed not to be an action involving property rights.

①The provisions of Article 5 of the Code of Civil Procedure (excluding the part pertaining to item (v)) do not apply to a lawsuit regarding demand for injunction.

②A lawsuit regarding demand for injunction pursuant to the provisions set forth in the following items may also be filed with the court with jurisdiction over the locality in which the acts prescribed in the items are conducted:

If a lawsuit regarding a demand for injunction has been filed in one court, but a lawsuit regarding a demand for injunction against the same or a similar act is pending before another court, the court, upon finding it to be reasonable to do so, may transfer the lawsuit in whole or in part to that other court or to another competent court having jurisdiction, in consideration of the addresses or locations of the relevant parties, the addresses of witnesses to be examined, the similarity of points at dispute or evidence, or other circumstances, upon petition or by its own authority.

①If multiple lawsuits regarding demand for injunction are pending concurrently in the same court of the first or second instance with the same demand and against the same other party, the oral arguments and judicial decisions must be consolidated; provided, however, that this does not apply if consolidating oral arguments and judicial decisions is found to be extremely unreasonable in light of the progress of the proceedings or other circumstances.

②In the case as prescribed in the main text of the preceding paragraph, a party must file a petition with the court to that effect.

①If, in connection with a pending lawsuit involving a demand for injunction, there has already been a final judgment or equally binding disposition as provided under the main clause of Article 12-2, paragraph (1), item (ii) to which another qualified consumer organization was a party, and there is sufficient reason to suspect that grounds as set forth in Article 34, paragraph (1), item (iv) exist as regards the other qualified consumer organization in connection with the legal proceedings that are subject to that final judgment or equally binding disposition (including if grounds as set forth in Article 34, paragraph (1), item (iv) may be deemed to exist pursuant to Article 34, paragraph (2)), and the Prime Minister finds that a considerable period of time will be required to determine whether to rescind a certification under Article 13, paragraph (1) pursuant to Article 34, paragraph (1) or to determine whether to make a certification under Article 34, paragraph (3) (hereinafter referred to as "rescinding a certification, etc." in the following paragraph), the Prime Minister is to notify the court with which the lawsuit involving the demand for injunction is pending (hereinafter referred to as "the court in charge of the case" in this Article) of this and of the period of time expected to be required to determine this, pursuant to Cabinet Office Order.

②Having made the notification pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Prime Minister is to determine whether to rescind the certification within the period stated in the notification, and is to notify the court in charge of the case of the results.

③Upon receipt of a notification pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), the court in charge of the case may suspend the court proceedings until the period stated in the notification has passed (or until it is notified as prescribed in the preceding paragraph, if this occurs before the end of that period), if it finds this to be necessary.

If compulsory execution is carried out in relation to the right to demand an injunction by the means prescribed in Article 172, paragraph (1) of the Civil Execution Act, in determining the amount of money that an obligor should pay an obligee pursuant to the provisions of Article 172, paragraph (1) or (2) of that Article, the execution court must particularly take into account the disadvantage that the large, non-exclusive group of consumers would incur in the event of default on financial obligations.