A family court mediates litigation cases regarding personal status and other cases regarding family affairs (excluding the cases regarding the matters set forth in Appended Table 1), and also adjudicates these cases as provided for in this Part.

①A case for a mediation of domestic relations is subject to the jurisdiction of the family court which has jurisdiction over the place of domicile of a respondent or a family court determined by agreement between the parties.

②The provisions of Article 11, paragraphs (2) and (3) of the Code of Civil Procedure apply mutatis mutandis to the agreement set forth in the preceding paragraph.

③The provisions of Article 191, paragraph (2) and Article 192 apply mutatis mutandis to a mediation case for the division of an estate (meaning a mediation case regarding the matters set forth in Appended Table 2, row (12)) and a mediation case for a disposition to determine an heir's amount of contribution (meaning a mediation case regarding the matters set forth in Appended Table 2, row (14)). In this case, the term "preceding paragraph" in Article 191, paragraph (2) is deemed to be replaced with "Article 245, paragraph (1)".

①When a family court receives a petition for the mediation of a case other than cases that it may mediate pursuant to the provisions of Article 244, it transfers the case to a district court or summary court which has jurisdiction over the case by its own authority.

②When a family court receives a petition for the mediation of a case that it may mediate pursuant to the provisions of Article 244, and when it finds it to be necessary in order to process the case, it may transfer the whole or part of the case to a district court or summary court which has jurisdiction over the case by its own authority.

③Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, when the family court finds it to be particularly necessary in order to process a case, it may transfer the case to a district court or summary court (limited to a court which has subject-matter jurisdiction) other than the district court or summary court which has jurisdiction over the case.

④The provisions of Article 9, paragraphs (3) through (5) apply mutatis mutandis to a decision of transfer under the provisions of the preceding three paragraphs.

①A family court mediates a case through a mediation committee; provided, however, that when a family court finds it to be appropriate, mediation may be conducted by a judge alone.

②Upon the petition of a party, the family court must mediate a case through a mediation committee, notwithstanding the provisions of proviso to the preceding paragraph.

①A mediation committee is composed of a judge and two or more domestic relations mediation commissioners.

②Domestic relations mediation commissioners who compose a mediation committee are designated by a family court for each case.

③A resolution of a mediation committee is adopted by a majority opinion. In the event of a tie, a judge is to decide on the matter.

④Deliberations of mediation committees are confidential.

①Domestic relations mediation commissioners serve part-time, and the necessary matters concerning their appointment and dismissal are specified by the Rules of the Supreme Court.

②Domestic relations mediation commissioners are paid an allowance as separately provided by law, and also are paid travel expenses, a daily allowance, and accommodation fees as specified by the Rules of the Supreme Court.

①A domestic relations mediator is appointed by the Supreme Court from among attorneys who have been in practice for not less than five years.

②A domestic relations mediator performs the duties necessary for processing mediation cases, as provided for by this Act.

③A domestic relations mediator holds office for two years, and may be reappointed.

④A domestic relations mediator serves on a part-time basis.

⑤A domestic relations mediator will not be dismissed during the mediator's term of office, except in any of the cases listed in the following items:

⑥Beyond what is provided for in this Act, the necessary matters concerning the appointment and dismissal of a domestic relations mediator are specified by the Rules of the Supreme Court.

①A domestic relations mediator handles a case for mediation of domestic relations, as designated by the court.

②A domestic relations mediator may, in the course of processing a case for mediation of domestic relations that the mediator handles, exercise the powers to be exercised by a family court, a judge, or the presiding judge in connection with the processing of a case for mediation of domestic relations as provided in this Act.

③A domestic relations mediator performs their authority independently.

④A domestic relations mediator may, when exercising their powers, give a necessary order concerning the mediator's duties to a court clerk, a family court investigating officer, and a technical official of the court who is a physician. In this case, the provisions of Article 60, paragraph (5) of the Court Act (Act No. 59 of 1947) apply mutatis mutandis to a court clerk who has received an order from a domestic relations mediator.

⑤A domestic relations mediator is paid an allowance as separately provided for by law, and also is paid travel expenses, a daily allowance, and accommodation charges as specified by the Rules of the Supreme Court.

①In the mediation cases set forth in the following items (in items (i) and (ii), excluding cases which seek the provision of property benefits), the persons specified respectively in these items may participate in proceedings themselves, not through their legal representative, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 31 of the Code of Civil Procedure as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 17, paragraph (1). The same applies when the person is a person under curatorship or a person under assistance (limited to a person under assistance who is required to obtain consent from the assistant for performing procedural acts) and the person has not obtained consent from the curator or supervisor of the curator or the assistant or supervisor of the assistant:

②Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 18, in the mediation cases set forth in items (i), (iii), and (iv) of the preceding paragraph (as for the mediation case set forth in item (i) of the paragraph, excluding a case to seek the provision of a property benefit), a person who exercises parental authority or a guardian may not make an agreement under Article 268, paragraph (1), accept the proposed terms of a mediation prescribed in Article 270, paragraph (1), or file a joint notification under Article 286, paragraph (8), on behalf of the persons specified respectively in these items. The same applies to a guardian of a husband and wife in a mediation case regarding a divorce, and to a guardian of an adoptive parent, a person who exercises parental authority over an adopted child (limited to a child of 15 years of age or older; hereinafter the same applies in this paragraph), and a guardian of an adopted child in a mediation case regarding the dissolution of an adoptive relationship.

A court clerk must prepare a record regarding a date for proceedings for mediation of domestic relations; provided, however, that this does not apply if the presiding judge finds it to be unnecessary to prepare the record.

①A party or a third party who has made a prima facie showing of interest may, with permission from the family court, make a request to a court clerk for the inspection or copying of, or the issuance of an authenticated copy, transcript or extract of, a record of a case for mediation of domestic relations, or for the issuance of a certificate of matters concerning a case for mediation of domestic relations.

②The provisions of the preceding paragraph do not apply to a record of a case for mediation of domestic relations which is prepared in the form of audiotapes or videotapes (including objects on which certain matters are recorded by any means equivalent thereto). In this case, a party or a third party who has made a prima facie showing of interest may, with the permission of the family court, make a request to a court clerk for the reproduction of these objects.

③When a petition for permission under the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs is filed by a party or a third party who has made a prima facie showing of interest (excluding the case prescribed in paragraph (6)), the family court may grant permission when it finds it to be appropriate.

④Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1), a party may make a request to a court clerk for the issuance of the following documents, without permission from the family court:

⑤A request for the inspection, copying or reproduction of a record of a case for mediation of domestic relations may not be made if these acts would interfere with the preservation of the record of the case for mediation of domestic relations or with the performance of the duties of the court or mediation committee.

⑥When a petition for permission under the provisions of paragraph (1) or (2) is filed by a party in a mediation case regarding the matter prescribed in Article 277, paragraph (1), the provisions of Article 47, paragraphs (3), (4), and (8) through (10) apply mutatis mutandis.