Chapter I General Provisions
第一章 総則
第一条（目的）
The purpose of this Act is, based on the spirit of mutual aid among small-scale enterprises, to establish a mutual aid system funded by their contributions with regard to the discontinuation, succession, etc. of the businesses of small-scale enterprises, and thereby to contribute to the promotion of the welfare of small-scale enterprises and the development of small enterprises.
この法律は、小規模企業者の相互扶助の精神に基づき、小規模企業者の事業の廃止、承継等につき、その拠出による共済制度を確立し、もつて小規模企業者の福祉の増進と小規模企業の振興に寄与することを目的とする。
第二条（定義）
In this Act, a "small-scale enterprise" means a person who falls under any of the following items:
この法律において「小規模企業者」とは、次の各号のいずれかに該当する者をいう。
An individual whose number of regularly employed employees is 20 or less and who engages, as a principal business, in a business belonging to the manufacturing, mining, transport or another industry (excluding the industries set out in the following item and the industries specified by Cabinet Order in item (iii));
An individual whose number of regularly employed employees is five or less and who engages, as a principal business, in a business belonging to commerce or the service industry (excluding the industries specified by Cabinet Order in the following item);
常時使用する従業員の数が五人以下の個人であつて、商業又はサービス業（次号の政令で定める業種を除く。）に属する事業を主たる事業として営むもの
An individual whose number of regularly employed employees is the number specified by Cabinet Order for each industry or less and who engages, as a principal business, in a business belonging to an industry specified by that Cabinet Order;
常時使用する従業員の数がその業種ごとに政令で定める数以下の個人であつて、その政令で定める業種に属する事業を主たる事業として営むもの
An individual who is engaged in the management of a business operated by an individual listed in the preceding three items (excluding an individual listed in the preceding three items);
An officer of a company whose number of regularly employed employees is 20 or less and that engages, as a principal business, in a business belonging to the manufacturing, mining, transport or another industry (excluding the industries set out in the following item and the industries specified by Cabinet Order in item (vii));
An officer of a company whose number of regularly employed employees is five or less and that engages, as a principal business, in a business belonging to commerce or the service industry (excluding the industries specified by Cabinet Order in the following item);
常時使用する従業員の数が五人以下の会社であつて、商業又はサービス業（次号の政令で定める業種を除く。）に属する事業を主たる事業として営むものの役員
An officer of a company whose number of regularly employed employees is the number specified by Cabinet Order for each industry or less and that engages, as a principal business, in a business belonging to an industry specified by that Cabinet Order;
常時使用する従業員の数がその業種ごとに政令で定める数以下の会社であつて、その政令で定める業種に属する事業を主たる事業として営むものの役員
An officer of a small and medium-sized enterprise organization established by a special Act (limited to an enterprise association, a cooperative partnership, and one whose members are mainly, directly or indirectly, individuals listed in items (i) through (iii) or companies prescribed in the preceding three items) that is specified by Cabinet Order.
特別の法律によつて設立された中小企業団体（企業組合、協業組合及び主として第一号から第三号までに掲げる個人又は前三号に規定する会社を直接又は間接の構成員とするものに限る。）であつて、政令で定めるものの役員
In this Act, a "mutual aid contract" means a contract under which a small-scale enterprise promises to pay premiums to the Organization for Small and Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, JAPAN (hereinafter referred to as the "Organization"), and the Organization promises to pay mutual aid benefits, as provided for in this Act, in the event of the discontinuation, etc. of that person's business.
この法律において「共済契約」とは、小規模企業者が独立行政法人中小企業基盤整備機構（以下「機構」という。）に掛金を納付することを約し、機構がその者の事業の廃止等につき、この法律の定めるところにより共済金を支給することを約する契約をいう。
In this Act, a "mutual aid policyholder" means an individual business operator and an officer of a company or a small and medium-sized enterprise organization (hereinafter referred to as a "company, etc.") who are parties to a mutual aid contract.
この法律において「共済契約者」とは、共済契約の当事者である個人たる事業者及び会社又は中小企業団体（以下「会社等」という。）の役員をいう。
small-scale enterprisemachine translation
「小規模企業者」
An individual who runs a business with 20 or fewer regular employees in industry, mining, transport and similar fields, 5 or fewer in commerce or services, or no more than a number a Cabinet Order (政令) sets for the industries it names; an individual who takes part in running such a business; or an officer of a company of the same size or of a small and medium-sized enterprise organization (中小企業団体) a Cabinet Order specifies.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (1)· applies throughout the law
mutual aid contractmachine translation
「共済契約」
A contract under which a small-scale enterprise (小規模企業者) promises to pay premiums (掛金) to the Organization for Small and Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, JAPAN (独立行政法人中小企業基盤整備機構), and the Organization promises to pay a mutual aid benefit (共済金) as the Small Enterprise Mutual Relief Projects Act provides when that person's business is closed or a similar event occurs.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (2)· applies throughout the law
the Organizationmachine translation
「機構」
The Organization for Small and Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, JAPAN (独立行政法人中小企業基盤整備機構), an incorporated administrative agency, with which small-scale enterprises (小規模企業者) conclude mutual aid contracts (共済契約) and which pays the mutual aid benefits (共済金).
Short name set inArticle 2, paragraph (2)
company, etc.machine translation
「会社等」
A company (会社) or a small and medium-sized enterprise organization (中小企業団体), whose officers can be mutual aid policyholders (共済契約者).
Short name set inArticle 2, paragraph (3)
mutual aid policyholdermachine translation
「共済契約者」
An individual business operator, or an officer of a company or of a small and medium-sized enterprise organization (中小企業団体), who is a party to a mutual aid contract (共済契約).
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (3)· applies throughout the law
Organization for Small and Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, JAPAN
独立行政法人中小企業基盤整備機構
A public body the State sets up by law, as an incorporated administrative agency (独立行政法人) under its own Act and the Act on General Rules for Incorporated Administrative Agencies (独立行政法人通則法), whose purpose is to lay the groundwork for livelier business activity by small and medium-sized enterprises (中小企業者) and other businesses, through advice and training, loans, investment, grants, debt guarantees, developing facilities in the regions, running mutual aid schemes and other activities (Act on the Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Japan, Independent Administrative Agency (独立行政法人中小企業基盤整備機構法), Articles 3 and 4). Among its duties, it runs the small enterprise mutual relief scheme under the Small Enterprise Mutual Relief Projects Act and the bankruptcy prevention mutual relief scheme under the Act on Mutual Relief System for the Prevention of Bankruptcies of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (Article 15, paragraph (1), items (xvi) and (xvii) of the Organization's own Act).
Written by AI using Act on the Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Japan, Independent Administrative Agency, Arts. 3, 4, 15 as a reference.