①When it is necessary in order to investigate a criminal case concerning national taxes (hereinafter referred to as a "criminal tax case" in this Section, except in Article 135 (On-Site Inspection, Search, or Seizure in Flagrant Offense Cases) and Article 153, paragraph (2) (Jurisdiction over and Transfer of Investigations)), the relevant officials of the National Tax Agency, etc. (hereinafter referred to as the "relevant officials" up to Article 152 (Preparation of Written Records) and in Article 155 (Accusation of Criminal Tax Cases, etc. concerning National Taxes Other than Indirect National Taxes)) may request a suspect or witness (hereinafter referred to as a "suspect, etc." in this paragraph and paragraph (1) of the following Article) to appear, question a suspect, etc., inspect articles possessed or left behind by a suspect, etc., or retain articles voluntarily submitted or left behind by a suspect, etc.

②The relevant officials may, with regard to the investigation of a criminal tax case, make inquiries to public agencies or public or private organizations and request reports on necessary matters.

①When it is necessary in order to investigate a criminal tax case, the relevant officials may, by a warrant issued in advance by a judge of the district court or summary court having jurisdiction over the location of the government office to which they belong, carry out an on-site inspection, a search of the body, articles, dwelling, or other place of a suspect, etc., a seizure of anything considered to be physical evidence or an article to be confiscated, or a seizure with a recording order (meaning having a person who keeps electronic or magnetic records or any other person who has the authority to use electronic or magnetic records record necessary electronic or magnetic records on a recording medium or print them out by ordering that person to do so, and then seizing that recording medium; the same applies hereinafter); provided, however, that a search of the body, articles, dwelling, or other place of a witness may be carried out only if there are circumstances sufficient to find that articles to be seized exist there.

②If the article to be seized is a computer, that computer or another recording medium may be seized after electronic or magnetic records created or modified using that computer, or electronic or magnetic records that may be modified or erased using that computer, have been copied onto that computer or that other recording medium from a recording medium that is connected to that computer through a telecommunications line and that is found in circumstances sufficient to show that it is used to store those electronic or magnetic records.

③In the cases referred to in the preceding two paragraphs, if the matter is urgent, the relevant officials may carry out the dispositions referred to in the preceding two paragraphs by a warrant issued in advance by a judge of the district court or summary court having jurisdiction over the location of the articles or place to be inspected, the body, articles, or place to be searched, the articles to be seized, or the person to be ordered to record or print electronic or magnetic records.

④When requesting the warrant referred to in paragraph (1) or the preceding paragraph (hereinafter referred to as a "warrant", except in Article 147 (Commissioning of Expert Opinions, etc.)), the relevant officials must provide materials by which a criminal tax case is found to exist.

⑤If a request has been made under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the judge of the district court or summary court must issue to the relevant official a warrant stating the name of the suspect (for a corporation, its name), the name of the offense, the articles or place to be inspected, the body, articles, or place to be searched, the articles to be seized, or the electronic or magnetic records to be recorded or printed and the person to be ordered to record or print them, as well as the official title and name of the requesting person, the period of validity, a statement that execution may not be commenced after that period has expired and that the warrant must then be returned, the date of issuance, and the name of the court, and bearing the judge's name and seal.

⑥In the case referred to in paragraph (2), the warrant must state, in addition to the matters prescribed in the preceding paragraph, the scope of the recording media connected through a telecommunications line to the computer to be seized from which the electronic or magnetic records are to be copied.

⑦The relevant officials may deliver a warrant to other relevant officials to have them carry out an on-site inspection, search, seizure, or seizure with a recording order.

①When it is necessary in order to investigate a criminal tax case, the relevant officials may, upon being issued a warrant, seize postal items, items of correspondence delivery, or documents concerning telegrams that were sent by or addressed to a suspect and that are kept or possessed by a person handling communications affairs pursuant to the provisions of laws and regulations.

②With regard to postal items, items of correspondence delivery, or documents concerning telegrams that do not fall under the preceding paragraph and that are kept or possessed by a person handling communications affairs pursuant to the provisions of laws and regulations, the relevant officials may seize them upon being issued a warrant, limited to those for which there are circumstances sufficient to find that they are related to the criminal tax case.

③When the relevant officials have carried out a disposition under the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, they must notify the sender or the recipient to that effect; provided, however, that this does not apply if the notification is likely to obstruct the investigation of the criminal tax case.

①When it is necessary in order to carry out a seizure or a seizure with a recording order, the relevant officials may, specifying those that are necessary from among the electronic or magnetic records of the transmission source, destination, date and time of communication, and other communication history of telecommunications recorded in the course of business and setting a period not exceeding 30 days, request in writing a person engaged in the business of providing telecommunications facilities for the communications of others, or a person who has installed telecommunications facilities capable of intermediating the communications of an unspecified or large number of persons for that person's own business, not to erase them. In this case, if the relevant officials come to find that there is no need to carry out a seizure or a seizure with a recording order with regard to those electronic or magnetic records, they must withdraw that request.

②The period for which non-erasure is requested pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph may, if particularly necessary, be extended within a period not exceeding 30 days; provided, however, that the period for which non-erasure is requested may not exceed 60 days in total.

③In making a request under the provisions of paragraph (1), if it is necessary, the person may be requested not to divulge matters concerning that request without good reason.

①In a criminal tax case concerning indirect national taxes (meaning consumption tax imposed on the taxable goods prescribed in Article 47, paragraph (2) (Declaration, etc. of the Amount of Tax Basis and Tax Amount for Taxable Goods Received) of the Consumption Tax Act and other national taxes specified by Cabinet Order; the same applies hereinafter), if there is a person who is committing or has just committed the criminal tax offense, and it is necessary in order to collect items found to be evidence of it, the matter is urgent, and a warrant cannot be obtained, the relevant officials may carry out the on-site inspection, search, or seizure referred to in Article 132, paragraph (1) (On-Site Inspection, Search, Seizure, etc.) at the scene of that offense.

②The relevant official may, in the case where, with regard to a criminal tax case concerning indirect national tax, there is a person who possesses an article currently used for an offense or an article obtained through an offense, or who, there being conspicuous traces of an offense, is clearly found to have committed the offense only a short time before, if it is necessary in order to collect anything found to serve as evidence of the offense, the matter is urgent, and the official cannot have a warrant issued, carry out the inspection, search or seizure referred to in Article 132, paragraph (1) with respect to the articles in that person's possession.

When the article to be seized is a recording medium containing an electronic or magnetic record, the relevant official may carry out either of the following dispositions in lieu of the seizure:

①When it is necessary in order to carry out an inspection, search, seizure or seizure with a recording order, the relevant official may remove locks, open seals or carry out any other necessary disposition.

②The disposition referred to in the preceding paragraph may also be carried out with respect to retained articles, seized articles or articles seized with a recording order.

When the article to be inspected or the article to be seized is a recording medium containing an electronic or magnetic record, the relevant official may request the person subject to the inspection, or to the search or seizure, to operate a computer or provide any other necessary cooperation.

A warrant for an inspection, search, seizure or seizure with a recording order must be presented to the person subject to that disposition.

When the relevant official asks questions or carries out an examination, retention, inspection, search, seizure or seizure with a recording order pursuant to the provisions of this Section, the official must carry a certificate of identification and must present it when requested by a person concerned.

When it is necessary in carrying out an inspection, search, seizure or seizure with a recording order, the relevant official may request the assistance of police officers.

①When carrying out an inspection, search, seizure or seizure with a recording order in a person's residence or in premises, a building or any other place guarded by a person, the relevant official must have its owner or manager (including their representative, agent or any other person who is to act in their place), or an employee of such a person or a relative living together with such a person who has reached the age of majority, attend.

②In the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, when the relevant official cannot have a person prescribed in that paragraph attend, the official must have a neighbor who has reached the age of majority, or a police officer or an official of a local public entity of that locality, attend.

③In the case where an inspection, search or seizure is carried out pursuant to the provisions of Article 135 (Inspection, Search or Seizure in a Case of a Flagrant Offense), if the matter is urgent, the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs need not be followed.

④When the body of a woman is searched, an adult woman must be made to attend; provided, however, that this does not apply in the case where the matter is urgent.

When the relevant official has carried out a retention, seizure or seizure with a recording order, the official must prepare an inventory thereof and deliver a transcript of it to the owner, possessor or custodian of the retained articles, seized articles or articles seized with a recording order (including a person who has been subject to a disposition pursuant to the provisions of Article 136 (Disposition in Lieu of Seizure of a Recording Medium Containing an Electronic or Magnetic Record)) or to a person who is to act in their place.

①Retained articles, seized articles or articles seized with a recording order that are inconvenient to transport or keep may be placed in the custody of their owner or possessor or any other person whom the relevant official finds appropriate, with that person's consent and by obtaining a custody receipt from that person.

②The Commissioner of the National Tax Agency, a regional commissioner or a district director may, when retained articles or seized articles have rotted or deteriorated, or are likely to rot or deteriorate, sell them at public auction after giving public notice and deposit the proceeds, as prescribed by Cabinet Order.

①When it has become unnecessary to hold retained articles, seized articles or articles seized with a recording order, the relevant official must return them to the person who is to receive their return.

②In the case where the Commissioner of the National Tax Agency, a regional commissioner or a district director cannot return the retained articles, seized articles or articles seized with a recording order referred to in the preceding paragraph because the domicile or residence of the person who is to receive their return is unknown, or for any other reason, they must give public notice to that effect.

③If no request for the return of the retained articles, seized articles or articles seized with a recording order to which the public notice referred to in the preceding paragraph pertains has been made even after six months have elapsed from the date of the public notice, those articles belong to the National Treasury.

①In the case where it has become unnecessary to hold a recording medium that was seized after the relevant official transferred, or had a person transfer, an electronic or magnetic record pursuant to the provisions of Article 136 (Disposition in Lieu of Seizure of a Recording Medium Containing an Electronic or Magnetic Record), if the person subject to the seizure and the owner, possessor or custodian of that recording medium are different persons, the relevant official must deliver that recording medium to the person subject to the seizure or allow that person to copy that electronic or magnetic record.

②The provisions of paragraph (2) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to the delivery or copying under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

③If no request for the delivery or copying referred to in the preceding paragraph has been made even after six months have elapsed from the date of the public notice under the provisions of paragraph (2) of the preceding Article as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to the preceding paragraph, it is not necessary to make the delivery or to allow the copying.

①When it is necessary in order to investigate a criminal tax case, the relevant official may commission a person with relevant knowledge and experience to conduct an expert examination of retained articles, seized articles or articles seized with a recording order, or may commission interpretation or translation.

②A person who has been commissioned to conduct an expert examination under the provisions of the preceding paragraph (referred to as an "expert examiner" in paragraphs (4) and (5)) may destroy an article pertaining to that expert examination with the permission of a judge of the district court or summary court having jurisdiction over the location of the government office to which the relevant official referred to in the preceding paragraph belongs.

③A request for the permission referred to in the preceding paragraph must be made by the relevant official.

④In the case where a request referred to in the preceding paragraph has been made, if the judge finds the request to be reasonable, the judge must deliver to the relevant official a warrant stating the name of the suspect (for a corporation, its name), the name of the offense, the article to be destroyed, the name of the expert examiner, the official title and name of the requester, the period of validity, a statement that execution may not be commenced after the expiration of that period and that the warrant must then be returned, the date of issuance and the name of the court, and bearing the judge's name and seal.

⑤The expert examiner must show the warrant referred to in the preceding paragraph to the person subject to the disposition referred to in paragraph (2).

①An inspection, search, seizure or seizure with a recording order must not be carried out between sunset and sunrise unless the warrant states that it may be executed even at night; provided, however, that this does not apply in the case where a disposition is carried out pursuant to the provisions of Article 135 (Inspection, Search or Seizure in a Case of a Flagrant Offense), or in the case where, with regard to consumption tax imposed on taxable goods prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (1), item (xi) (Definitions) of the Consumption Tax Act or any other national tax specified by Cabinet Order, these dispositions are carried out in an inn, restaurant or any other place which the public may enter and leave even at night, during the hours in which it is open to the public.

②An inspection, search, seizure or seizure with a recording order commenced before sunset may be continued after sunset when it is found to be necessary.

While asking questions or carrying out an examination, retention, inspection, search, seizure or seizure with a recording order pursuant to the provisions of this Section, the relevant official may prohibit any person from entering or leaving the place without permission.

In the case where the execution of a warrant for an inspection, search, seizure or seizure with a recording order is suspended, when necessary, the place may be closed, or a guard may be posted there, until the execution is completed.

In the case where a search has been carried out, if there is no physical evidence or article to be confiscated, a certificate to that effect must be delivered upon the request of the person subject to the search.

①When the relevant official has asked questions pursuant to the provisions of this Section, the official must prepare a record thereof, have the person questioned read it or read it aloud to that person, ask whether it contains any errors, and, if the person questioned has requested any addition, deletion or change, enter that statement in the record, and sign and seal the record together with the person questioned; provided, however, that if the person questioned does not or cannot sign and seal it, it is sufficient to append a note to that effect.

②When the relevant official has carried out an examination or retention pursuant to the provisions of this Section, the official must prepare a record thereof and sign and seal it.

③When the relevant official has carried out an inspection, search, seizure or seizure with a recording order pursuant to the provisions of this Section, the official must prepare a record thereof, show it to the persons in attendance, and sign and seal it together with them; provided, however, that if a person in attendance does not or cannot sign and seal it, it is sufficient to append a note to that effect.

①An investigation of a criminal tax case is conducted by the relevant officials of the National Tax Agency or by the relevant officials of the Regional Taxation Bureau or tax office having jurisdiction over the place where the case was discovered.

②Of the evidence of criminal tax cases concerning indirect national tax prescribed in Article 156, paragraph (1) (Reports, etc. on Criminal Tax Cases Concerning Indirect National Tax) collected by the relevant officials of the National Tax Agency, evidence concerning a serious criminal tax case must be transferred to the relevant officials of the competent Regional Taxation Bureau, and other evidence to the relevant officials of the competent tax office.

③Evidence of a criminal tax case collected by the relevant officials of a Regional Taxation Bureau must be transferred to the relevant officials of the competent tax office; provided, however, that this does not apply to evidence of a serious criminal tax case.

④Evidence of a serious criminal tax case collected by the relevant officials of a tax office must be transferred to the relevant officials of the competent Regional Taxation Bureau.

⑤When the same criminal tax case has been discovered in two or more places, the evidence collected at each place of discovery must be transferred to the relevant officials of the tax office having jurisdiction over the place where it was first discovered; provided, however, that when that evidence is evidence of a serious criminal tax case, it must be transferred to the relevant officials of the Regional Taxation Bureau having jurisdiction over the place where it was first discovered.

①When it is necessary in order to investigate a criminal tax case, the relevant officials of a Regional Taxation Bureau or tax office may perform their duties outside the jurisdictional district of the Regional Taxation Bureau or tax office to which they belong.

②When a district director requires an investigation of a criminal tax case outside the district director's jurisdictional district, the district director may commission the district director of that locality to conduct it.

③When a regional commissioner requires an investigation of a criminal tax case outside the regional commissioner's jurisdictional district, the regional commissioner may commission the regional commissioner or district director of that locality to conduct it.

When the relevant official, through the investigation of any of the following criminal tax cases, considers that an offense has been committed, the official must file an accusation with a public prosecutor:

①When the relevant officials of a Regional Taxation Bureau or tax office have completed the investigation of a criminal tax case concerning indirect national tax (excluding a criminal tax case listed in item (ii) of the preceding Article; the same applies hereinafter), they must report the results of the investigation to the competent regional commissioner or the competent district director; provided, however, that in any of the following cases, they must immediately file an accusation with a public prosecutor:

②When the relevant officials of the National Tax Agency have completed the investigation of a criminal tax case concerning indirect national tax, they must notify the competent regional commissioner or the competent district director of the results of the investigation; provided, however, that in any of the cases set forth in the items of the preceding paragraph, they must immediately file an accusation with a public prosecutor.

①When a regional commissioner or district director, through the investigation of a criminal tax case concerning indirect national tax, becomes convinced that an offense has been committed, the regional commissioner or district director must, clearly indicating the reasons, notify in writing that the amount equivalent to the fine, the articles subject to confiscation, the amount equivalent to the collection of equivalent value, and the costs incurred for the service of documents and for the transportation and custody of seized articles or articles seized with a recording order are to be paid at the designated place. In this case, with regard to the articles subject to confiscation, the regional commissioner or district director may give notification that only an offer to pay them is to be made.

②In the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, when the regional commissioner or district director finds that any of the following items applies, the regional commissioner or district director must, notwithstanding the provisions of that paragraph, immediately file an accusation with a public prosecutor:

③When a notification under the provisions of paragraph (1) contains a miscalculation, clerical error or any other similar obvious error, the regional commissioner or district director may correct that notification ex officio until the offender complies with that notification or until an accusation is filed pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph or the following Article.

④When a notification has been given pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), the statute of limitations for prosecution stops running, and resumes running from the time when 20 days have elapsed counting from the day following the day on which the offender received that notification.

⑤If the offender has complied with the notification referred to in paragraph (1) (if a correction has been made pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (3), the notification as corrected; the same applies in the following paragraph and paragraph (1) of the following Article), no prosecution is to be instituted against the offender for the same case.

⑥In the case where the offender has complied with the notification referred to in the second sentence of paragraph (1), if the offender possesses the articles subject to confiscation, the offender has the obligation to keep them in custody until a public auction or any other necessary disposition is made; provided, however, that the offender may not claim the costs required for that custody.

①In the case where the offender has received the notification referred to in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article (if a correction has been made pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (3) of that Article, that correction; referred to as a "notification, etc." in this Article), if the offender fails to comply with the notification within 20 days counting from the day following the day on which the offender received that notification, etc., the regional commissioner or district director must file an accusation with a public prosecutor; provided, however, that this does not apply if the offender complies before the accusation even after that period has elapsed.

②The same applies as in the preceding paragraph when a notification, etc. cannot be given because the residence of the offender is unknown, because the offender has refused to receive the documents pertaining to the notification, etc., or for any other reason.

①A criminal tax case concerning indirect national tax may be prosecuted only upon an accusation filed by the relevant officials of a Regional Taxation Bureau or tax office under the proviso to Article 156, paragraph (1) (Reports, etc. on Criminal Tax Cases Concerning Indirect National Tax), an accusation filed by the relevant officials of the National Tax Agency under the proviso to paragraph (2) of that Article, or an accusation filed by a regional commissioner or district director under Article 157, paragraph (2) (Notification Dispositions, etc. for Criminal Tax Cases Concerning Indirect National Tax) or the preceding Article.

②An accusation under the provisions of Article 155 (Accusation in Criminal Tax Cases Concerning National Taxes Other than Indirect National Taxes, etc.) or the accusation referred to in the preceding paragraph must be made in writing, with the records prescribed in the paragraphs of Article 152 (Preparation of Records) attached, and, if there are retained articles, seized articles or articles seized with a recording order, they must be transferred to a public prosecutor together with the inventory of retained articles, the inventory of seized articles or the inventory of articles seized with a recording order.

③In the case where the retained articles, seized articles or articles seized with a recording order referred to in the preceding paragraph are in custody under the provisions of Article 144, paragraph (1) (Handling of Retained Articles, etc.), they must be transferred by means of the custody receipt referred to in that paragraph, and the person in whose custody the articles were placed pursuant to the provisions of that paragraph must be notified to that effect.

④When retained articles, seized articles or articles seized with a recording order have been transferred pursuant to the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, those articles are deemed to have been seized by a public prosecutor pursuant to the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Act No. 131 of 1948).

⑤The accusation referred to in paragraph (1) may not be withdrawn.

In the case where a regional commissioner or district director has investigated a criminal tax case concerning indirect national tax and has not become convinced that an offense has been committed, the regional commissioner or district director must notify the suspect to that effect. In this case, if there has been a retention, seizure or seizure with a recording order of articles, the regional commissioner or district director must order its release.