Chapter XVII Crimes of Counterfeiting of Documents
第十七章 文書偽造の罪
For the purpose of uttering, a person who counterfeits an Imperial Rescript or other official imperial document with the Imperial Seal, State Seal or Imperial Signature, or counterfeits an Imperial Rescript or other official imperial document with a counterfeit Imperial Seal, State Seal or Imperial Signature, is punished by imprisonment for life or for a definite term of three years or more.
行使の目的で、御璽、国璽若しくは御名を使用して詔書その他の文書を偽造し、又は偽造した御璽、国璽若しくは御名を使用して詔書その他の文書を偽造した者は、無期又は三年以上の拘禁刑に処する。
The same applies to a person who alters an Imperial Rescript or other official imperial document bearing the Imperial Seal, the State Seal or the Imperial Signature.
御璽若しくは国璽を押し又は御名を署した詔書その他の文書を変造した者も、前項と同様とする。
Article 155Counterfeiting of Official Documents
第百五十五条（公文書偽造等）
For the purpose of uttering, a person who commits any of the acts set forth in the following items is punished by imprisonment for 1 year or more and 10 years or less:
行使の目的で、次の各号に掲げるいずれかの行為をした者は、一年以上十年以下の拘禁刑に処する。
the act of counterfeiting, using the seal or signature of a public office or a public employee (hereinafter referred to as a "seal or signature" in this Chapter, Article 165 and Article 167), a document or drawing to be prepared by a public office or a public employee (hereinafter referred to as a "document or drawing" in this Chapter), or of counterfeiting, using a counterfeited seal or signature of such public office or public employee, a document or drawing to be prepared by a public office or a public employee;
the act of counterfeiting, with the use of an electronic or magnetic record of a seal or signature of a public office or a public employee (meaning an electronic or magnetic record that is to be displayed as a seal or signature; the same applies hereinafter in this Chapter and in Articles 165 and 167), an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing to be prepared by a public office or a public employee (meaning an electronic or magnetic record that is to be displayed as a document or drawing and uttered; the same applies hereinafter in this Chapter), or counterfeiting an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing to be prepared by a public office or a public employee with the use of a counterfeit electronic or magnetic record of a seal or signature of a public office or a public employee.
The same applies to a person who alters a document or drawing bearing the seal or signature of a public office or a public employee, or an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing prepared by a public office or a public employee with the use of an electronic or magnetic record of a seal or signature.
Beyond what are provided for in the preceding two paragraphs, a person who counterfeits a document or drawing or an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing to be made by a public office or a public employee or who alters a document or drawing or an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing which has been prepared by a public office or a public employee is punished by imprisonment for 3 years or less or a fine of 200,000 yen or less.
Article 156Making of False Official Documents
第百五十六条（虚偽公文書作成等）
In connection with their official duty, if a public employee makes a false official document or drawing or a false electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing, or alters an official document or drawing or an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing, for the purpose of uttering, is dealt with in the same manner as prescribed in the preceding two Articles, depending on whether or not there is a seal or signature or an electronic or magnetic record of a seal or signature.
Article 157False Entries in the Original of Notarized Deeds
第百五十七条（公正証書原本不実記載等）
A person, who makes a false statement before a public employee and thereby causes the employee to make a false entry in the registry, family register book or the original of notarized deeds relating to other rights or duties, or creates a false record on the electronic or magnetic record to be used as the original of a notarized deed relating to rights or duties, is punished by imprisonment for 5 years or less or a fine of 500,000 yen or less.
A person, who makes a false statement before a public employee and thereby causes the employee to make a false entry in a license, permit or passport, or to make a false record in an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing or any other electronic or magnetic record that is used as the whole or a part of a license, permit or passport, is punished by imprisonment for 1 year or less or a fine of 200,000 yen or less.
Any attempt to commit the crimes prescribed under the preceding two paragraphs is punished.
前二項の罪の未遂は、罰する。
Article 158Uttering Counterfeit Official Documents
第百五十八条（偽造公文書行使等）
A person, who utters a document or drawing or an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing prescribed for in the preceding four Articles, provides the electronic or magnetic record prescribed in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article for use as the original of a notarized deed, or puts the electronic or magnetic record prescribed in paragraph (2) of the same Article into use for the processing of matters of another person, is punished by the same penalty as a person who counterfeits or alters a document or drawing or an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing, makes a false document or drawing or a false electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing, or causes a false entry or record to be made.
第百五十四条から前条までの文書等若しくは電磁的記録文書等を行使し、同条第一項の電磁的記録を公正証書の原本としての用に供し、又は同条第二項の電磁的記録を人の事務処理の用に供した者は、その文書等若しくは電磁的記録文書等を偽造し、若しくは変造し、虚偽の文書等若しくは電磁的記録文書等を作成し、又は不実の記載若しくは記録をさせた者と同一の刑に処する。
Any attempt to commit the crimes prescribed under the preceding paragraph is punished.
前項の罪の未遂は、罰する。
Article 159Counterfeiting Private Documents
第百五十九条（私文書偽造等）
A person who, for the purpose of uttering, commits any of the following acts is punished by imprisonment for 3 months or more and 5 years or less:
行使の目的で、次の各号に掲げるいずれかの行為をした者は、三月以上五年以下の拘禁刑に処する。
the act of counterfeiting, with the use of a seal or signature of another person, a document or drawing relating to rights, duties or certification of facts, or counterfeiting a document or drawing relating to rights, duties or certification of facts with the use of a counterfeit seal or signature of another person;
the act of counterfeiting, with the use of an electronic or magnetic record of a seal or signature of another person, an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing relating to rights, duties or certification of facts, or counterfeiting an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing relating to rights, duties or certification of facts with the use of a counterfeit electronic or magnetic record of a seal or signature of another person.
The same applies to a person who alters a document or drawing bearing the seal or signature of another person and relating to rights, duties or certification of facts, or an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing prepared by another person with the use of an electronic or magnetic record of a seal or signature and relating to rights, duties or certification of facts.
Beyond what are provided for in the preceding two paragraphs, a person who counterfeits or alters a document or drawing or an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing relating to rights, duties or certification of facts is punished by imprisonment for 1 year or less or a fine of 100,000 yen or less.
Article 160Falsifying Medical Certificates
第百六十条（虚偽診断書等作成）
When a physician makes a false entry in a medical certificate, an autopsy report or a death certificate to be submitted to a public office, or makes a false record in an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing to be submitted to a public office that is used as the whole or a part of a medical certificate, an autopsy report or a death certificate, imprisonment for 3 years or less or a fine of 300,000 yen or less is imposed.
Article 161Uttering Counterfeit Private Documents
第百六十一条（偽造私文書等行使）
A person who utters a document or drawing or an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing prescribed in the preceding two Articles is punished by the same penalty as a person who counterfeits or alters a document or drawing or an electronic or magnetic record of a document or drawing or makes a false entry or record.
Any attempt to commit the crimes prescribed under the preceding paragraph is punished.
前項の罪の未遂は、罰する。
Article 161-2Unauthorized Creation of Electronic or Magnetic Records
第百六十一条の二（電磁的記録不正作出及び供用）
With the intent to bring about error in the processing of matters of another person, a person who unlawfully creates an electronic or magnetic record without due authorization which is for use in such improper processing and is related to rights, duties or certification of facts, is punished by imprisonment for 5 years or less or a fine of 500,000 yen or less.
人の事務処理を誤らせる目的で、その事務処理の用に供する権利、義務又は事実証明に関する電磁的記録を不正に作った者は、五年以下の拘禁刑又は五十万円以下の罰金に処する。
When the crime prescribed under the preceding paragraph is committed in relation to an electronic or magnetic record to be created by a public office or a public employee, the offender is punished by imprisonment for 10 years or less or a fine of 1,000,000 yen or less is imposed.
A person who, with the intent prescribed in paragraph (1), puts an electronic or magnetic record created without due authorization and related to rights, duties or certification of facts into use for the processing of matters of another person is punished by the same penalty as the person who created such an electronic or magnetic record.
Any attempt to commit the crimes prescribed under the preceding paragraph is punished.
前項の罪の未遂は、罰する。