①No corporation can be formed unless it is formed pursuant to the provisions of this Code and other laws.

②The formation, organization, operation, and management of corporations including corporations formed for academic activities, art, charity, worship, religion and other public interests, and corporations formed for engaging in business for profit are governed by the provisions of this Code and other laws.

A corporation has rights and is subject to duties, subject to the provisions of laws and regulations and within the scope of the purpose stated in its articles of incorporation and other basic provisions.

①With the exception of states, any administrative division of states, and foreign companies, the formation of a foreign corporation is not recognized; provided, however, that, this does not apply to any foreign corporation that are recognized pursuant to the provisions of a law or treaty.

②A foreign corporation recognized pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph possesses the same private rights as those possessed by a corporation of the same kind which can be formed in Japan; provided, however, that, this does not apply to any right that a foreign national is not entitled to enjoy or to any right for which there are special provisions in a law or treaty.

Corporations and foreign corporations are to complete their registration pursuant to the provisions of this Code and other laws and regulations.

①If a foreign corporation (limited to the foreign corporation prescribed in the proviso to Article 35, paragraph (1); the same applies in this Article below) establishes an office in Japan, the registration of the foreign corporation must be completed by registering the following particulars at the location of the office, within three weeks:

②If there is a change in any of the particulars stated in the items of the preceding paragraph, a registration of the change must be completed for within three weeks. In this case, the change may not be asserted against any third party before it is registered.

③If a provisional disposition order suspending the execution of duties by the representative or appointing a person who will perform those duties on behalf of the representative is issued or a ruling changing or setting aside that provisional disposition order is made, its registration must be completed. In this case, the provisions of the second sentence of the preceding paragraph apply mutatis mutandis.

④If particulars that must be registered pursuant to the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs arises in a foreign country, the period for registration is counted from the day on which the notice of these particulars reached.

⑤If a foreign corporation established an office in Japan for the first time, a third party may decline to recognize that corporation's formation until it has been registered in the location of that office.

⑥If a foreign corporation relocates its office, the registration of relocation must be completed at the former location within three weeks and the registration of the foreign corporation must be completed by registering the items of paragraph (1) at the new location within four weeks.

⑦If a foreign corporation relocates its office within the jurisdictional district of the same registry office, it is sufficient for it to register its relocation.

⑧If a representative of a foreign corporation fails to complete a registration provided for in this Article, the representative is subject to a civil fine of not more than 500,000 yen.