①If an entrusting business operator entrusts its business to a specified entrusted business operator, the entrusting business operator must immediately and clearly indicate to the specified entrusted business operator, in writing or by electronic or magnetic means (meaning methods using information and communications technology provided for by the Rules of the Fair Trade Commission, including a method using electronic data processing systems; the same applies below in this Article), the details of the work to be performed by the specified entrusted business operator, the remuneration amount, the date of payment and other matters, pursuant to the provisions of the Rules of the Fair Trade Commission; provided, however, that if there are reasonable grounds not to determine the details of a matter, that matter does not have to be indicated. In that case, the entrusting business operator must clearly indicate that matter to the specified entrusted business operator in writing or by electronic or magnetic means immediately after the details of that matter have been determined.

②If an entrusting business operator has clearly indicated the matters prescribed in the preceding paragraph by electronic or magnetic means pursuant to the provisions of that paragraph and is requested by a specified entrusted business operator to deliver a document in writing stating those matters, the entrusting business operator must deliver the document in writing pursuant to the provisions of the Rules of the Fair Trade Commission without delay; provided, however, that this does not apply in cases specified by the Rules of the Fair Trade Commission where the protection of the specified entrusted business operator is not compromised by not doing so..

①If a specified entrusting business operator entrusts its business to a specified entrusted business operator, the date of remuneration payment must be set on the earliest possible date that is no later than 60 days from the day on which the specified entrusting business operator receives the work from the specified entrusted business operator (if the business is entrusted pursuant to Article 2, paragraph (3), item (ii), from the day on which the service was provided by the specified entrusted business operator; the same applies in the following paragraph), regardless of whether or not the specified entrusting business operator inspects the details of the work performed by the specified entrusted business operator.

②In the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, if the date of remuneration payment is not set, the day on which the specified entrusting business operator receives the work from the specified entrusted business operator is deemed to be the date of remuneration payment, and if the date of remuneration payment is set in violation of the provisions of that paragraph, the final day in the sixty-day period that commences on the day on which the specified entrusting business operator receives the work from the specified entrusted business operator is deemed to have been set as the date of remuneration payment.

③Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, if a specified entrusting business operator that has been entrusted with business by another enterprise (referred to below as the "first entrusting business operator" in this paragraph and paragraph (6)) further entrusts all or part of the relevant entrusted business (referred to below as the "business entrusted by the first entrusting business operator" in this paragraph and paragraph (6)) to a specified entrusted business operator (limited to cases in which the specified entrusting business operator has clearly indicated to the specified entrusted business operator that the business is being further entrusted to it, the personal or trade name of the first entrusting business operator, the date of payment of the price of the business entrusted by the first entrusting business operator (referred to below as the "date of payment for the business entrusted by the first entrusting business operator" in this paragraph and the following paragraph), and other matters specified by the Rules of the Fair Trade Commission pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article), the date of remuneration payment for the relevant business to be further entrusted to the specified entrusted enterprise must be set on the earliest possible date that is no later than 30 days from the date of payment for the business entrusted by the first entrusting business operator.

④In the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, if the date of remuneration payment is not set, the date of payment for the business entrusted by the first entrusting business operator is deemed to be the date of remuneration payment, and if the date of remuneration payment is set in violation of the provisions of that paragraph, the final day in the thirty-day period that commences on the date of payment for the business entrusted by the first entrusting business operator is deemed to have been set as the date of remuneration payment.

⑤A specified entrusting business operator must remunerate the specified entrusted business operator by the date of payment specified pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) or paragraph (3) or by the date of payment referred to in paragraph (2) or the preceding paragraph; provided, however, that if the specified entrusting business operator is unable to remunerate the specified entrusted business operator due to grounds attributable to the specified entrusted business operator, the specified entrusting business operator must pay the remuneration within 60 days (or within 30 days in the case referred to in paragraph (3)) from the day on which those grounds cease to exist.

⑥In the case referred to in paragraph (3), if a specified entrusting business operator receives an advance payment from the first entrusting business operator, the specified entrusting business operator must give due consideration to make sure that the specified entrusted business operator to which the specified entrusting business operator further entrusted all or part of the business entrusted by the first entrusting business operator receives an advance payment for the costs necessary to commence the work for business entrustment, including the procurement of materials.

①If a specified entrusting business operator entrusts its business to a specified entrusted business operator (limited to business entrusted for a period equivalent to or longer than the period specified by Cabinet Order (including business to be entrusted continuously for a period equivalent to or longer than the period specified by Cabinet Order after the relevant business entrustment contract is renewed); the same applies below in this Article), the specified entrusting business operator must not conduct any of the acts stated in the following items (excluding acts stated in items (i) and (iii) if the business is entrusted pursuant to Article 2, paragraph (3), item (ii)):

②If a specified entrusting business operator entrusts its business to a specified entrusted business operator, it must not unjustly harm the interests of the specified entrusted business operator by conducting any one of the acts stated in the following items:

①If there is a violation of the provisions of this Chapter, a specified entrusted business operator that is entrusted with business by an entrusting business operator may report that fact to the Fair Trade Commission or the Commissioner of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency and ask for appropriate measures be taken.

②When a report under the preceding paragraph has been made, the Fair Trade Commission or the Commissioner of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency must conduct the necessary investigation, and if the Fair Trade Commission or the Commissioner finds the content of the report to be true, they must take measures based on this Act or any other appropriate measures.

③An entrusting business operator must not reduce the volume of transactions, suspend transactions, or otherwise treat a specified entrusted business operator disadvantageously on the grounds that the specified entrusted business operator has made a report under paragraph (1).

①The Commissioner of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency may investigate whether or not an entrusting business operator has violated the provisions of Article 3 or is in violation of the provisions of paragraph (3) of the preceding Article, and if the Commissioner finds that there has been a violation, they may request the Fair Trade Commission to take appropriate measures in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

②The Commissioner of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency may investigate whether or not a specified entrusting business operator has violated the provisions of Article 4, paragraph (5), Article 5, paragraph (1) (excluding the part regarding item (i)), or paragraph (2), or is in violation of the provisions of paragraph (1) of the latter Article (limited to the part regarding that item), and if the Commissioner finds that there has been a violation, they may request the Fair Trade Commission to take appropriate measures in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

①If the Fair Trade Commission finds that an entrusting business operator has violated the provisions of Article 3, the Commission may recommend to the entrusting business operator that it promptly indicate the details under paragraph (1) of that Article, deliver a document under paragraph (2) of that Article, or take other necessary measures.

②If the Fair Trade Commission finds that a specified entrusting business operator has violated the provisions of Article 4, paragraph (5), the Commission may recommend to the specified entrusting business operator that it promptly pay the remuneration or take other necessary measures.

③If the Fair Trade Commission finds that a specified entrusting business operator is in violation of the provisions of Article 5, paragraph (1) (limited to the part regarding item (i)), the Commission may recommend to the specified entrusting business operator that it promptly receive the work from the specified entrusted business operator or take other necessary measures.

④If the Fair Trade Commission finds that a specified entrusting business operator has violated the provisions of Article 5, paragraph (1) (excluding the part regarding item (i)), the Commission may recommend to the specified entrusting business operator that it promptly pay the amount deducted from the remuneration amount, accept the goods related to the work performed by the specified entrusted business operator, increase the remuneration amount, take back the goods that the specified entrusted business operator was forced to purchase, or take other necessary measures.

⑤If the Fair Trade Commission finds that a specified entrusting business operator has violated the provisions of Article 5, paragraph (2), the Commission may recommend to the specified entrusting business operator that it promptly take the measures necessary to protect the interests of the specified entrusted business operator.

⑥If the Fair Trade Commission finds that an entrusting business operator is in violation of the provisions of Article 6, paragraph (3), the Commission may recommend to the entrusting business operator that it promptly cease any disadvantageous treatment or take other necessary measures.

①If the operator that received a recommendation under the preceding Article fails to take the measures related to that recommendation without reasonable grounds, the Fair Trade Commission may order the operator that received the recommendation to take the measures related to that recommendation.

②If the Fair Trade Commission issues an order under the preceding paragraph, the Commission may make that fact public.

The provisions of Article 61, Article 65, paragraphs (1) and (2), Article 66, Article 70-3, paragraphs (3) and (4), Articles 70-6 to 70-9, Article 70-12, Article 76, Article 77, Article 85 (limited to the part regarding item (i)), Article 86, Article 87 and Article 88 of the Act on Prohibition of Private Monopolization and Maintenance of Fair Trade (Act No. 54 of 1947) apply mutatis mutandis to cases where an order is issued under paragraph (1) of the preceding Article.

①The Commissioner of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency may have an entrusting business operator, a specified entrusting business operator, a specified entrusted business operator, or any other person concerned submit a report on the entrusted business, or have its officials enter their offices or any other workplace to inspect their books and documents and other items, to the extent necessary for the enforcement of the provisions of Article 7.

②The Fair Trade Commission may have an entrusting business operator, a specified entrusting business operator, a specified entrusted business operator, or any other person concerned submit a report on the entrusted business, or have its officials enter their offices or any other workplace to inspect their books and documents and other items, to the extent necessary for the enforcement of the provisions of Article 8 and Article 9, paragraph (1).

③The officials who enter the offices pursuant to the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs must carry their identification cards and present them to any persons concerned.

④The authority of entry and inspection under paragraphs (1) to (2) must not be construed as being granted for criminal investigation purposes.