①A juvenile to whom any of the following items applies is subjected to a trial and decision of the family court:

②The family court may subject a juvenile, as prescribed in item (ii) of the preceding paragraph or a juvenile as prescribed in item (iii) of that paragraph, who is under 14 years of age to a trial and decision only when a prefectural governor or a director of a child guidance center refers the juvenile to the family court.

An assistant judge may give a judicial decision, other than the ruling prescribed in Article 20, paragraph (1), by themselves.

①Jurisdiction for protection cases is based on the place where the juvenile committed the act, their domicile or residence, or current location.

②The family court, by a ruling, may transfer a case to another family court with jurisdiction if the court finds it particularly necessary to ensure appropriate protection of the juvenile.

③If the family court finds that a case is not under its jurisdiction, by a ruling, it must transfer the case to a family court that does have jurisdiction.

①If, after the ruling prescribed by Article 21 is made, the victim, etc. of the protection case (meaning the victim, the victim's statutory agent or their spouse, lineal relative or sibling, if the victim has died or suffers serious mental or physical conditions; this also applies below) or the attorney appointed by the victim, etc. requests pursuant to the Rules of the Supreme Court to inspect or copy the records retained by the court on the relevant protection case as specified in Article 3, paragraph (1), item (i) or (ii) (except those collected by the family court exclusively for its determination on the need for protection of the juvenile, and those created or collected by a family court investigating officer that contribute to the family court's determination on the need for protection of the juvenile) , the court authorizes the applicant to inspect or copy the records, except when the court finds the request for inspection or copying has been filed on unjust grounds or the court finds it inappropriate to permit inspection or copying considering the impact it will have on the sound development of the juvenile, the nature of the case, the status of investigation or trial and decision, or other circumstances.

②The request stated in the preceding paragraph may not be filed, when three years have passed since the ruling to close the protection case on the request had become final and binding.

③The person who inspected or copied the records pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) must neither divulge the name or other matters concerning personal circumstances of the juvenile acquired through the inspection or copying without reasonable grounds nor use any matters obtained through the inspection or copying in an unauthorized manner to hinder the sound development of the juvenile, damage the reputation or peaceful existence of any person concerned, or cause impediment to an investigation, or trial and decision.

The provisions of Articles 7 through 10 and row 1 of Appended Table 3 (excluding the phrase "excluding those requested by the party, etc. while the case is pending" in the left-hand column of that row) of the Act on the Costs of Civil Proceedings (Act No. 40 of 1971) apply mutatis mutandis to the fee for inspection or copying of the record pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article unless contrary to its nature.

①A person who has discovered a juvenile who should be subjected to a trial and decision of the family court, must notify the family court of this.

②A police officer or the parent or guardian may directly notify the child guidance center regarding a juvenile, if it is found appropriate to subject the juvenile prescribed in Article 3, paragraph (1), item (iii) to the measures under the Child Welfare Act (Act No. 164 of 1947) instead of direct referral or notification to the family court.

①A police officer may conduct an investigation on a case, if they discover a person that they have reasonable grounds to suspect, based on objective circumstances and in a reasonable manner, is a juvenile as specified in Article 3, paragraph (1), item (ii), if necessary.

②The investigation stated in the preceding paragraph is to be conducted to clarify the facts of the case, while taking into consideration the protection of the juvenile's emotional stability, and as a result contributing to the measures for the juvenile's sound development.

③A police officer may have police personnel (other than police officers) with expertise in juvenile psychology and other characteristics to conduct an investigation (excluding the dispositions prescribed in Article 6-5, paragraph (1)) pursuant to the Rules of the National Public Safety Commission.

The juvenile and parent or guardian may, at any time, appoint an attendant who is an attorney-at-law for the investigation as prescribed in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article.

①A police officer may summon the juvenile, the parent or guardian, or person of reference for questioning, if necessary for the investigation.

②The questioning stated in the preceding paragraph must not be conducted forcibly.

③A police officer may inquire to public offices, or public or private organizations, about reporting any necessary matters relating to the investigation.

①A police officer may, when necessary for conducting an investigation of a case concerning a juvenile prescribed in Article 3, paragraph (1), item (ii), conduct seizure (including an order to provide electronic or magnetic records prescribed in Article 102-2, paragraph (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Act No. 131 of 1948) (limited to an order for provision by the method prescribed in item (i), (a) of that paragraph); the same applies in the following paragraph and Article 15), search, an order to provide electronic or magnetic records prescribed in Article 102-2, paragraph (1) of that Code (limited to an order for provision by the method prescribed in (b) of that item; referred to simply as the "order to provide electronic or magnetic records" in the following paragraph and Article 15), inspection, or request for an expert examination.

②The provisions in the Code of Criminal Procedure for seizure, search, order to provide electronic or magnetic records, inspection, and request for an expert examination to be conducted by judicial police officer (excluding Article 224 of that Code) apply mutatis mutandis to the case referred to in the preceding paragraph. In this case, the term "judicial police officer" in these provisions is deemed to be replaced with "police officer who is a judicial police officer" and the term "judicial constable" with "police officer who is a judicial constable"; in Article 499, paragraph (1) of that Code, the term "public prosecutor" is deemed to be replaced with "Superintendent General of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Chief of Prefectural Police Headquarters, or Police Station Chief" and the term "Cabinet Order" with "the Rules of the National Public Safety Commission"; and in paragraph (3) of that Article, the term "national treasury" is deemed to be replaced with "prefecture where the relevant prefectural police or police station is located".

①A police officer must refer the case, together with the documents on the investigation, to the director of a child guidance center, if the case falls under any of the following items as a result of the investigation:

②The police officer must send the family court any evidence obtained in relation to a case referred to the director of a child guidance center pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph if the measures prescribed in Article 27, paragraph (1), item (iv) of the Child Welfare Act have been implemented.

③If a police officer notifies a child guidance center of a juvenile subject to investigation pursuant to the provisions of Article 25, paragraph (1) of the Child Welfare Act, except when the case is referred pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), then the police officer is to provide the child guidance center with the outline and results of the investigation which will serve as a reference for the implementation of measures under that Act, pursuant to the provisions of the Rules of the National Public Safety Commission.

①A prefectural governor or a director of a child guidance center must implement the measures prescribed in Article 27, paragraph (1), item (iv) of the Child Welfare Act in a case referred to the governor or the director pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article (limited to the part concerning item (i)); provided, however, that this does not apply when it is found unnecessary to do so as a result of the investigation.

②If it is necessary to take a compulsory measure, that may unintentionally restrict or deprive the child's freedom, to a juvenile to whom the Child Welfare Act applies, a prefectural governor or a director of a child guidance center must refer the case to the family court, except when it is found to be permitted to take the measures pursuant to the provisions of Articles 33, 33-2 and 47 of that Act.

①If any juvenile subject to trial and decision of the family court is found, then a family court investigating officer must report this to a judge.

②A family court investigating officer may investigate the circumstances surrounding the juvenile and the parent or guardian before the reporting stated in the preceding paragraph.

①When the family court considers that a juvenile should be subject to trial and decision following the notification prescribed in Article 6, paragraph (1) or the reporting prescribed in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, it must investigate the case involving the juvenile. This also applies when a public prosecutor, a judicial police officer, a police officer, a prefectural governor or a child guidance center's director sends a juvenile case to be referred to a trial and decision by the family court.

②The family court may order a family court investigating officer to interview a juvenile, parent or guardian, or person of reference, and to carry out other necessary investigation.

The investigation prescribed in the preceding Article must be carried out by making use of medical, psychological, pedagogical, sociological and any other specialized knowledge as much as possible, regarding conduct, background, temperament, and environment of the juvenile, the parent or guardian, and other concerned persons, and in particular, the results of classifications conducted by the juvenile classification home.

The family court is to hear by itself, or order a family court investigating officer to hear from the victim, etc. of a juvenile case, as prescribed in Article 3, paragraph (1), item (i) or (ii) about their feelings and other opinions on the case upon their request pursuant to the Rules of the Supreme Court; provided, however, that this does not apply if it is found inappropriate considering the nature of the case, the state of investigation or trial and decision of the family court, or other circumstances.

①A juvenile or a parent or guardian, legal representative, curator, spouse, lineal relative, or sibling of a juvenile may, with the family court's permission, appoint an attendant; provided, however, that no permission is needed to appoint an attorney-at-law as the attendant.

②A parent or guardian may serve as attendant if permitted by the family court.