Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Basic Act
中小企業基本法
Contents
Read it chapter by chapter; the first chapter follows below. Or read the whole law on one page.
- Chapter I General Provisions第一章 総則Articles 1–11 · 11
- Chapter II Basic Measures第二章 基本的施策Articles 12–26 · 15
- Chapter III Administrative Organization Concerning Small and Medium-sized Enterprises第三章 中小企業に関する行政組織Article 27
- Chapter IV Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Policy Council第四章 中小企業政策審議会Articles 28–32 · 5
Chapter I General Provisions
第一章 総則
第一条（目的）
The purpose of this Act is to comprehensively promote policies concerning small and medium-sized enterprises, and thereby to achieve the sound development of the national economy and the improvement of the lives of the people, by establishing the basic principles, basic policies and other fundamental matters concerning policies for small and medium-sized enterprises, and by clarifying the responsibilities, etc. of the national government and local governments
この法律は、中小企業に関する施策について、その基本理念、基本方針その他の基本となる事項を定めるとともに、国及び地方公共団体の責務等を明らかにすることにより、中小企業に関する施策を総合的に推進し、もつて国民経済の健全な発展及び国民生活の向上を図ることを目的とする。
Article 2Scope of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Definitions of Terms
第二条（中小企業者の範囲及び用語の定義）
The small and medium-sized enterprises that are to be the subjects of the national government's policies implemented under this Act are, generally, those listed in the following items, and their scope is to be specified for each policy so that these policies are implemented efficiently to realize the basic principles of the following Article.
この法律に基づいて講ずる国の施策の対象とする中小企業者は、おおむね次の各号に掲げるものとし、その範囲は、これらの施策が次条の基本理念の実現を図るため効率的に実施されるように施策ごとに定めるものとする。
a company whose stated capital or total amount of contributions is 300 million yen or less, or a company or individual whose number of regularly employed employees is 300 or less, in either case one that mainly carries on a business belonging to the manufacturing industry, construction industry, transportation industry or another industry (excluding the industries listed in the following item through item (iv));
資本金の額又は出資の総額が三億円以下の会社並びに常時使用する従業員の数が三百人以下の会社及び個人であつて、製造業、建設業、運輸業その他の業種（次号から第四号までに掲げる業種を除く。）に属する事業を主たる事業として営むもの
a company whose stated capital or total amount of contributions is 100 million yen or less, or a company or individual whose number of regularly employed employees is 100 or less, in either case one that mainly carries on a business belonging to the wholesale industry;
資本金の額又は出資の総額が一億円以下の会社並びに常時使用する従業員の数が百人以下の会社及び個人であつて、卸売業に属する事業を主たる事業として営むもの
a company whose stated capital or total amount of contributions is 50 million yen or less, or a company or individual whose number of regularly employed employees is 100 or less, in either case one that mainly carries on a business belonging to the service industry;
資本金の額又は出資の総額が五千万円以下の会社並びに常時使用する従業員の数が百人以下の会社及び個人であつて、サービス業に属する事業を主たる事業として営むもの
a company whose stated capital or total amount of contributions is 50 million yen or less, or a company or individual whose number of regularly employed employees is 50 or less, in either case one that mainly carries on a business belonging to the retail industry.
資本金の額又は出資の総額が五千万円以下の会社並びに常時使用する従業員の数が五十人以下の会社及び個人であつて、小売業に属する事業を主たる事業として営むもの
In this Act, "business innovation" means to seek a considerable improvement in the management of an enterprise by carrying out new business activities, such as the development or production of new products, the development or provision of new services, the introduction of a new method of producing or selling products, the introduction of a new method of providing services, or the introduction of a new management method.
この法律において「経営の革新」とは、新商品の開発又は生産、新役務の開発又は提供、商品の新たな生産又は販売の方式の導入、役務の新たな提供の方式の導入、新たな経営管理方法の導入その他の新たな事業活動を行うことにより、その経営の相当程度の向上を図ることをいう。
In this Act, "creative business activities" means business activities that are the object of business innovation or the founding of a business and that make use of technology having remarkable novelty or a remarkably creative management method.
この法律において「創造的な事業活動」とは、経営の革新又は創業の対象となる事業活動のうち、著しい新規性を有する技術又は著しく創造的な経営管理方法を活用したものをいう。
In this Act, "management resources" means equipment, technology, the knowledge and skills held by individuals, and other resources used in business activities.
この法律において「経営資源」とは、設備、技術、個人の有する知識及び技能その他の事業活動に活用される資源をいう。
In this Act, "small-scale enterprise" means a business operator whose number of regularly employed employees is, generally, 20 or less (5 or less for a person who mainly carries on a business belonging to the commerce or service industry).
この法律において「小規模企業者」とは、おおむね常時使用する従業員の数が二十人（商業又はサービス業に属する事業を主たる事業として営む者については、五人）以下の事業者をいう。
第三条（基本理念）
In light of the fact that small and medium-sized enterprises form the foundation of the economy of Japan by carrying out distinctive business activities in diverse fields of business, providing diverse employment opportunities, and providing individuals with opportunities to carry on business while exercising their abilities, and that, in particular, through the many small and medium-sized enterprises carrying out business activities to improve their management by making use of creativity and ingenuity, they have an important mission to fulfill in maintaining and strengthening the vitality of the Japanese economy by creating new industries, increasing employment opportunities, promoting competition in the market, and promoting the revitalization of regional economies, their diverse and vigorous growth and development must be achieved, based on the principle that the voluntary efforts of independent small and medium-sized enterprises are to be fostered, by promoting their business innovation and founding, strengthening their management base, and facilitating their adaptation to changes in the economic and social environment.
中小企業については、多様な事業の分野において特色ある事業活動を行い、多様な就業の機会を提供し、個人がその能力を発揮しつつ事業を行う機会を提供することにより我が国の経済の基盤を形成しているものであり、特に、多数の中小企業者が創意工夫を生かして経営の向上を図るための事業活動を行うことを通じて、新たな産業を創出し、就業の機会を増大させ、市場における競争を促進し、地域における経済の活性化を促進する等我が国経済の活力の維持及び強化に果たすべき重要な使命を有するものであることにかんがみ、独立した中小企業者の自主的な努力が助長されることを旨とし、その経営の革新及び創業が促進され、その経営基盤が強化され、並びに経済的社会的環境の変化への適応が円滑化されることにより、その多様で活力ある成長発展が図られなければならない。
In light of the fact that, in the diverse and vigorous growth and development of small and medium-sized enterprises, small-scale enterprises have the important significance of contributing to the stability of regional economies and to the improvement of the lives of local residents and the promotion of exchange among them, by carrying out business activities that make use of regional characteristics and providing employment opportunities, and of contributing to the future development of the economy and society of Japan, by carrying out creative business activities and creating new industries, the vitality of small-scale enterprises must be exerted to the fullest extent by developing a business environment conducive to these business activities, based on the principle that the voluntary efforts of independent small-scale enterprises are to be fostered.
The national government has the responsibility to comprehensively formulate and implement policies concerning small and medium-sized enterprises, in accordance with the basic principles of the preceding Article (hereinafter simply referred to as the "basic principles").
国は、前条の基本理念（以下単に「基本理念」という。）にのつとり、中小企業に関する施策を総合的に策定し、及び実施する責務を有する。
第五条（基本方針）
The government is to implement policies concerning small and medium-sized enterprises based on the following basic policies.
政府は、次に掲げる基本方針に基づき、中小企業に関する施策を講ずるものとする。
to promote business innovation and the founding of businesses by small and medium-sized enterprises, and to promote creative business activities;
to strengthen the management base of small and medium-sized enterprises by facilitating the securing of management resources of small and medium-sized enterprises, ensuring the fairness of transactions concerning small and medium-sized enterprises, and the like;
中小企業の経営資源の確保の円滑化を図ること、中小企業に関する取引の適正化を図ること等により、中小企業の経営基盤の強化を図ること。
to respond promptly to changes in the economic and social environment and to facilitate adaptation to those changes by stabilizing the management of small and medium-sized enterprises, facilitating the conversion of their businesses, and the like;
経済的社会的環境の変化に即応し、中小企業の経営の安定を図ること、事業の転換の円滑化を図ること等により、その変化への適応の円滑化を図ること。
to facilitate the supply of funds to small and medium-sized enterprises and to enhance the equity capital of small and medium-sized enterprises.
中小企業に対する資金の供給の円滑化及び中小企業の自己資本の充実を図ること。
Article 6Responsibilities of Local Governments
第六条（地方公共団体の責務）
Local governments have the responsibility to formulate and implement, in accordance with the basic principles and with regard to small and medium-sized enterprises, policies that suit the natural, economic and social conditions of their areas, taking into account an appropriate division of roles with the national government.
地方公共団体は、基本理念にのつとり、中小企業に関し、国との適切な役割分担を踏まえて、その地方公共団体の区域の自然的経済的社会的諸条件に応じた施策を策定し、及び実施する責務を有する。
A small and medium-sized enterprise must endeavor to voluntarily improve its management and transaction terms, in order to achieve the growth and development of its business by responding promptly to changes in the economic and social environment.
中小企業者は、経済的社会的環境の変化に即応してその事業の成長発展を図るため、自主的にその経営及び取引条件の向上を図るよう努めなければならない。
Organizations concerning small and medium-sized enterprises, such as organizations for the joint operation of businesses of small and medium-sized enterprises, are to endeavor to proactively work, together with small and medium-sized enterprises, toward the realization of the basic principles when carrying out their business activities.
中小企業者の事業の共同化のための組織その他の中小企業に関する団体は、その事業活動を行うに当たつては、中小企業者とともに、基本理念の実現に主体的に取り組むよう努めるものとする。
A person other than a small and medium-sized enterprise that has a relationship with small and medium-sized enterprises in connection with its business must cooperate in the implementation of policies concerning small and medium-sized enterprises carried out by the national government and local governments.
中小企業者以外の者であつて、その事業に関し中小企業と関係があるものは、国及び地方公共団体が行う中小企業に関する施策の実施について協力するようにしなければならない。
第八条（小規模企業に対する中小企業施策の方針）
The State is to take measures concerning small and medium-sized enterprises for small-scale enterprises in accordance with the following policies:
国は、次に掲げる方針に従い、小規模企業者に対して中小企業に関する施策を講ずるものとする。
Taking into account the important significance of small-scale enterprises in contributing to the stability of the economy in regions and to the improvement of the lives and the promotion of exchange of local residents, to enable the sustainable business activities of small-scale enterprises in regions through securing appropriate and sufficient management resources, and to seek to revitalize business activities that respond to diverse demand in regions by promoting cooperation with diverse actors in regions;
小規模企業が地域における経済の安定並びに地域住民の生活の向上及び交流の促進に寄与するという重要な意義を有することを踏まえ、適切かつ十分な経営資源の確保を通じて地域における小規模企業の持続的な事業活動を可能とするとともに、地域の多様な主体との連携の推進によつて地域における多様な需要に応じた事業活動の活性化を図ること。
Taking into account the important significance of small-scale enterprises in contributing to the future development of the economy and society of Japan, to develop the necessary environment so that, in pursuing their growth and development, small-scale enterprises can receive, according to their circumstances, appropriate support for achieving steady growth and development;
小規模企業が将来における我が国の経済及び社会の発展に寄与するという重要な意義を有することを踏まえ、小規模企業がその成長発展を図るに当たり、その状況に応じ、着実な成長発展を実現するための適切な支援を受けられるよう必要な環境の整備を図ること。
Taking into account the circumstances of small-scale enterprises, which often find it particularly difficult to secure management resources, to strive for the development and improvement of the management of small-scale enterprises, and to give the necessary consideration, according to the state of management of small-scale enterprises, to finance, taxation, provision of information and other matters.
Article 9Legislative Measures, etc.
第九条（法制上の措置等）
The Government must take the legislative, fiscal and financial measures necessary to implement measures concerning small and medium-sized enterprises.
政府は、中小企業に関する施策を実施するため必要な法制上、財政上及び金融上の措置を講じなければならない。
第十条（調査）
The Government, after hearing the opinion of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Policy Council, must periodically conduct the investigation necessary to clarify the actual state of small and medium-sized enterprises and publish the results.
政府は、中小企業政策審議会の意見を聴いて、定期的に、中小企業の実態を明らかにするため必要な調査を行い、その結果を公表しなければならない。
第十一条（年次報告等）
The Government must submit to the Diet each year a report on the trends of small and medium-sized enterprises and on the measures that the Government has taken concerning small and medium-sized enterprises.
政府は、毎年、国会に、中小企業の動向及び政府が中小企業に関して講じた施策に関する報告を提出しなければならない。
Each year, the Government, after hearing the opinion of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Policy Council, must prepare a document clarifying the measures it intends to take in consideration of the trends of small and medium-sized enterprises relating to the report under the preceding paragraph, and submit it to the Diet.
政府は、毎年、中小企業政策審議会の意見を聴いて、前項の報告に係る中小企業の動向を考慮して講じようとする施策を明らかにした文書を作成し、これを国会に提出しなければならない。
business innovationmachine translation
「経営の革新」
Substantially improving a business's performance by taking up new business activities, such as developing or producing new products, developing or providing new services, introducing new ways of producing or selling products or of providing services, or introducing new management methods.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (2)· applies throughout the law
creative business activitiesmachine translation
「創造的な事業活動」
Business activity, undertaken as business innovation (経営の革新) or in starting a business (創業), that makes use of strikingly new technology or a strikingly creative way of managing a business.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (3)· applies throughout the law
management resourcesmachine translation
「経営資源」
Resources used in business activities, such as equipment, technology, and the knowledge and skills individuals have.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (4)· applies throughout the law
small-scale enterprisemachine translation
「小規模企業者」
A business operator with, broadly, 20 or fewer regular employees, or 5 or fewer where its main business is in commerce or services.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (5)· applies throughout the law
basic principlesmachine translation
「基本理念」
The basic principles in Article 3: that, since small and medium-sized enterprises (中小企業) form the base of Japan's economy and have an important part in keeping it vigorous, their varied and vigorous growth is to be achieved by encouraging the independent enterprises' own efforts, promoting their business innovation and start-ups, strengthening their business foundations and easing their adaptation to economic and social change, and that small-scale enterprises (小規模企業), which support their regions' economies and residents' lives and contribute to Japan's future development, are to be able to make the most of their vitality in a business environment that supports their own efforts.
Short name set inArticle 4, paragraph (1)
the Diet
国会
Japan's parliament, and under Article 41 the only body that can make an Act (法律). It has two chambers, the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, both made up of elected members (Articles 42 and 43). It designates the Prime Minister, approves the budget and treaties, and can start the process of amending the Constitution. A Cabinet Order (政令) or Ministerial Order (省令) may impose a duty or a penalty only where an Act the Diet passed says it may.
Written by AI using Constitution, Arts. 41, 42, 43 and Wikipedia: National Diet as a reference.