A bailment becomes effective if one of the parties asks the other party to keep a certain thing in custody, and the other party gives consent to keeping it in custody.

①A bailor may cancel the contract up until the bailee receives the bailed thing. In such a case, if the bailee sustains any damage due to the cancellation of the contract, the bailee may claim that compensation from the bailor.

②A gratuitous bailee may cancel the contract up until the bailee receives the bailed thing; provided, however, that this does not apply to a bailment made in writing.

③If the bailor does not deliver the bailed thing even after the passage of the scheduled time of receipt of the bailed thing, and the bailee (in the case of a gratuitous bailment, limited to the bailee of a bailment made in writing) demands the delivery by specifying a reasonable period of time but the bailor fails to deliver the thing, the bailee may cancel the contract.

①A bailee may not use the bailed thing without obtaining the consent of the bailor.

②The bailee may not have a third party keep the bailed thing in custody unless the bailee obtains the consent of the bailor or there is a compelling reason to do so.

③A sub-bailee has the same rights and obligations as those of the bailee in relation to the bailor within the scope of its authority.

A gratuitous bailee bears a duty to keep the bailed thing while exercising the same level of care that the bailee would exercise for their own property.

①If a third party claiming rights with respect to the bailed thing has filed a lawsuit against the bailee, or has effected a seizure, provisional seizure, or provisional disposition, the bailee must notify the bailor of that fact without delay; provided, however, that this does not apply if the bailor already knows it.

②Even if a third party claims a right for the bailed thing, the bailee must return the bailed thing to the bailor unless the bailor gives instructions to the contrary; provided, however, that this does not apply if the bailee notifies the bailor in advance referred to in the preceding paragraph or is not required to notify pursuant to the provisions of the proviso to that paragraph, and the bailee delivers the bailed thing to a third party based on a final and binding judgment (including anything that has the same effect as a final and binding judgment) ordering the delivery of the bailed thing to that third party.

③If the bailee is required to return the bailed thing to the bailor pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the bailee is not liable to compensate for any damage sustained by a third party due to the delivery of the bailed thing to the bailor.

The bailor must compensate the bailee for damage that occur due to a nature of or defect in the bailed thing; provided, however, that this does not apply if the bailor did not, without negligence, know of that nature or defect, or the bailee knew of the same.

①Even if the parties specify the time for the return of the bailed thing, the bailor may demand the return of the same at any time.

②In the case prescribed in the preceding paragraph, if the bailee sustains any damage because the bailor demands the return of the bailed thing before the time of return, the bailee may claim that compensation from the bailor.

①If the parties have not specified the timing of the return of the bailed thing, the bailee may return the same at any time.

②If the timing of the return is specified, the bailee may not return it before the due date unless there is a compelling reason to do so.

Bailed thing must be returned at the place where they are to be retained; provided, however, that if the bailee has changed the place of retention for a legitimate reason, the bailed thing may be returned at that current place of retention.

①Claims for damages sustained by the bailor due to the loss or damage to part of the bailed thing and for reimbursement of expenses incurred by the bailee must be submitted within one year from the time when the bailor receives the return of the bailed thing.

②With regard to the claim for damages referred to in the preceding paragraph, the prescription period does not expire until one year has passed from the time when the bailor receives the return of the bailed thing.

The provisions of Articles 646 through 648, Article 649, and Article 650, paragraphs (1) and (2) apply mutatis mutandis to bailments.

①If the things bailed by two or more persons are the same in kind and quality, the bailee may keep these things in custody by mixing them only if the bailee obtains the consent of the respective bailors.

②If the bailee keeps the bailed thing by two or more bailors in custody by mixing them based on the provisions of the preceding paragraph, each bailor may demand the return of the thing in the same quantity as the thing bailed by respective bailor.

③In the case prescribed in the preceding paragraph, if any part of the bailed thing is lost, each bailor may demand the return of the thing at the percentage of the thing bailed by respective bailor to all bailed thing mixed and kept in custody by the bailee. In such a case, no bailor is precluded from claiming for damages.

①If a bailee may consume the bailed thing by contract, the bailee must return the thing that is the same kind, quality and quantity as the bailed thing.

②The provisions of Articles 590 and 592 apply mutatis mutandis to the case prescribed in the preceding paragraph.

③The provisions of Article 591, paragraphs (2) and (3) apply mutatis mutandis to the case of a bailment of money by a contract concerning deposits savings.