The name of a company is its trade name.

A company must use the Japanese characters "株式会社"(pronounced "kabushiki-kaisha", meaning "stock company"),"合名会社"(pronounced" gomei-kaisha" meaning "general partnership company"), "合資会社"(pronounced "goushi-kaisha" meaning "limited partnership company") or " 合同会社" (pronounced "goudou-kaisha", meaning "limited liability company") in its trade name, respectively for stock company, general partnership company, limited partnership company or limited liability company.

A company may not use in its trade name any word which makes it likely that the company may be mistaken for a different form of company.

No person who is not a company may use in its name or trade name any word which makes it likely that the person may be mistaken as a company.

No person may use, with a wrongful purpose, any name or trade name which makes it likely that the person may be mistaken for the other company.

Any company the enterprise interests of which have been, or are likely to be, infringed by the use of any name or trade name in violation of the provisions of the preceding paragraph may seek an injunction suspending or preventing the infringement against the person who infringes, or is likely to infringe, those enterprise interests.

Any company that has permitted others to carry out business or engage in any enterprise by using the company's own trade name is jointly and severally liable, regarding any person who has transacted with relevant others based on misunderstanding that relevant company carries out relevant business, for the performance of any obligations which may arise from relevant transaction.