Chapter I General Provisions
第一章 総則
The following actions are commercial transactions:
次に掲げる行為は、商行為とする。
an action through which a person seeks to acquire for value a movable, real property, or a negotiable instrument of value from whose transfer the person wishes to profit, or an action through which a person seeks to transfer an object so acquired;
利益を得て譲渡する意思をもってする動産、不動産若しくは有価証券の有償取得又はその取得したものの譲渡を目的とする行為
an action through which a person seeks to make an acquisition for value in order to form and perform on a contract to supply a movable or negotiable instrument of value acquired from another person;
他人から取得する動産又は有価証券の供給契約及びその履行のためにする有償取得を目的とする行為
a transaction conducted on an exchange;
取引所においてする取引
an action involving a bill, note, or other commercial instrument.
手形その他の商業証券に関する行為
The following actions are commercial transactions only if they are taken as a part of business; provided, however, that this does not apply if the action is taken by a person that manufactures a product or engages in labor for the sole purpose of earning wages:
次に掲げる行為は、営業としてするときは、商行為とする。ただし、専ら賃金を得る目的で物を製造し、又は労務に従事する者の行為は、この限りでない。
an action through which a first person seeks to acquire for value or rent from a second person a movable or real property from whose rental to a third person the first person wishes to profit, or an action through which one person seeks to rent to another person property so acquired or rented;
賃貸する意思をもってする動産若しくは不動産の有償取得若しくは賃借又はその取得し若しくは賃借したものの賃貸を目的とする行為
an action relating to manufacturing or processing undertaken for another person's benefit;
他人のためにする製造又は加工に関する行為
an action relating to the supplying of electricity or gas;
電気又はガスの供給に関する行為
an action relating to transportation;
運送に関する行為
undertaking a contract for work or labor;
作業又は労務の請負
an action relating to publishing, printing, photography, or filming;
出版、印刷又は撮影に関する行為
a transaction at an establishment at which it is intended for customers to gather;
客の来集を目的とする場屋における取引
exchanging money or making another banking transaction;
両替その他の銀行取引
providing insurance;
保険
undertaking a bailment;
寄託の引受け
an action relating to brokerage or intermediation;
仲立ち又は取次ぎに関する行為
undertaking the role of agent for a commercial transaction;
商行為の代理の引受け
undertaking a trust.
信託の引受け
Article 503Auxiliary Commercial Transactions
第五百三条（附属的商行為）
Even if the agent for a commercial transaction conducts the transaction without representing that it is doing so on behalf of the principal, the actions of the agent bind the principal; provided, however, that if the other party does not know that the agent is conducting the transaction on behalf of the principal, these provisions do not preclude the other party from demanding that the agent perform the obligations arising from the transaction.
商行為の代理人が本人のためにすることを示さないでこれをした場合であっても、その行為は、本人に対してその効力を生ずる。ただし、相手方が、代理人が本人のためにすることを知らなかったときは、代理人に対して履行の請求をすることを妨げない。
Article 505Entrustment of Commercial Transactions
第五百五条（商行為の委任）
A person entrusted with conducting a commercial transaction may take actions that the person is not entrusted with taking, to the extent that this does not conflict with the main purpose of the entrustment.
商行為の受任者は、委任の本旨に反しない範囲内において、委任を受けていない行為をすることができる。
第五百六条（商行為の委任による代理権の消滅事由の特例）
A person's authority to act as the agent of a principal based on that person's entrustment with conducting a commercial transaction does not lapse upon the death of the principal.
商行為の委任による代理権は、本人の死亡によっては、消滅しない。
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Article 508Offers to Contract between Merchants at a Distance
第五百八条（隔地者間における契約の申込み）
If merchants are at a distance from each other and the party receiving an offer to contract not specifying a period for acceptance does not issue notice of its acceptance within a reasonable period of time, the offer ceases to be valid.
商人である隔地者の間において承諾の期間を定めないで契約の申込みを受けた者が相当の期間内に承諾の通知を発しなかったときは、その申込みは、その効力を失う。
The provisions of Article 524 of the Civil Code apply mutatis mutandis to a case as referred to in the preceding paragraph.
Article 509Duty of Party Receiving Offer to Contract to Give Notice of Acceptance or Refusal
第五百九条（契約の申込みを受けた者の諾否通知義務）
If a merchant receives an offer to contract that is in its line of business from a person with which it has regular dealings, the merchant must issue notice of its acceptance or refusal of the offer to contract without delay.
商人が平常取引をする者からその営業の部類に属する契約の申込みを受けたときは、遅滞なく、契約の申込みに対する諾否の通知を発しなければならない。
If a merchant neglects to issue a notice as referred to in the preceding paragraph, it is deemed to have accepted the offer to contract referred to in that paragraph.
Article 510Duty of the Party Receiving Offer to Contract to Take Custody of Goods
第五百十条（契約の申込みを受けた者の物品保管義務）
If, along with the offer that a merchant receives for a contract that is in its line of business, the merchant also receives goods, it must store those goods at the expense of the offeror, even if it refuses the offer; provided, however, that this does not apply if the value of the goods is insufficient to compensate for the costs of the storage, or if the merchant will incur damage from the storage.
商人がその営業の部類に属する契約の申込みを受けた場合において、その申込みとともに受け取った物品があるときは、その申込みを拒絶したときであっても、申込者の費用をもってその物品を保管しなければならない。ただし、その物品の価額がその費用を償うのに足りないとき、又は商人がその保管によって損害を受けるときは、この限りでない。
Article 511Joint and Several Liability for Obligations Among Multiple Parties
第五百十一条（多数当事者間の債務の連帯）
When two or more persons assume an obligation by way of an action that constitutes a commercial transaction for any one or all of them, they assume that obligation jointly and severally.
数人の者がその一人又は全員のために商行為となる行為によって債務を負担したときは、その債務は、各自が連帯して負担する。
If there is a guarantor and an obligation arises from a commercial transaction by the principal obligor or the guarantee constitutes a commercial transaction, the principal obligor and the guarantor assume the obligation jointly and severally, even if they have assumed the obligation by way of separate actions.
保証人がある場合において、債務が主たる債務者の商行為によって生じたものであるとき、又は保証が商行為であるときは、主たる債務者及び保証人が各別の行為によって債務を負担したときであっても、その債務は、各自が連帯して負担する。
Article 512Claim to Remuneration
第五百十二条（報酬請求権）
第五百十三条（利息請求権）
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Article 515Exemptions from the Prohibition on the Use or Disposal of Things Pledged by Contract
第五百十五条（契約による質物の処分の禁止の適用除外）
The provisions of Article 349 of the Civil Code do not apply to a pledge created to secure an obligation arising from a commercial transaction.
民法第三百四十九条の規定は、商行為によって生じた債権を担保するために設定した質権については、適用しない。
Article 516Place for Performance of Obligations
第五百十六条（債務の履行の場所）
If the place where an obligation arising from a commercial transaction is to be performed cannot be specified owing to the nature of the transaction or the manifestation of the intentions of the parties, the delivery of a specific thing must be effected at the place where the thing is at the time of the transaction, and any other obligation must be performed at the current place of business of the obligee (or at the obligee's domicile, if the obligee has no place of business).
商行為によって生じた債務の履行をすべき場所がその行為の性質又は当事者の意思表示によって定まらないときは、特定物の引渡しはその行為の時にその物が存在した場所において、その他の債務の履行は債権者の現在の営業所（営業所がない場合にあっては、その住所）において、それぞれしなければならない。
No English for this paragraph yet.
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Article 521Right of Retention Between Merchants
第五百二十一条（商人間の留置権）
If performance is due on a claim arising between merchants from an action that constitutes a commercial transaction for both parties, the obligee may retain an object or negotiable instrument of value belonging to the obligor that the obligee has gained possession of in the commercial transaction with the obligor, until the claim is satisfied; provided, however, that this does not apply if the parties have manifested a different intention.
商人間においてその双方のために商行為となる行為によって生じた債権が弁済期にあるときは、債権者は、その債権の弁済を受けるまで、その債務者との間における商行為によって自己の占有に属した債務者の所有する物又は有価証券を留置することができる。ただし、当事者の別段の意思表示があるときは、この限りでない。
No English for this paragraph yet.
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merchant
「商人」
A person who, in their own name, carries on commercial transactions (商行為) as a business.
Defined inArticle 4, paragraph (1)· applies throughout the law
manifestation of intention
意思表示
A person's expression of an intention to which the law gives a legal effect, such as an offer to conclude a contract, which shows its terms and forms the contract once the other party accepts it (Civil Code, Article 522, paragraph (1)), the acceptance itself (Article 527), or the notice to the other party by which a party rescinds (取消し) an act or cancels (解除) a contract (Articles 123 and 540, paragraph (1)). One made to another person takes effect when notice of it reaches that person, or when it would normally have reached them if they blocked it without good reason (Article 97, paragraphs (1) and (2)), and does not lose its effect because the person who made it dies, loses mental capacity (意思能力) or comes under legal limits on what they can do alone after sending the notice (Article 97, paragraph (3)); where the person making it cannot find out who the other party is or where they are, it can be made by public notice (Article 98, paragraph (1)). It is not void just because the person making it knew it was not their true intention, unless the other party knew or could have known that (Article 93, paragraph (1)); a false one made in collusion with the other party is void (Article 94, paragraph (1)); and neither voidness can be asserted against a third party who did not know of it (善意) (Articles 93, paragraph (2), and 94, paragraph (2)). One based on a mistake that is material in light of the purpose of the juridical act (法律行為) and accepted views in dealings may be rescinded — one based on a mistaken view of the circumstances behind the act only if it had been shown that the act was based on them, and as a rule not where the mistake came from the gross negligence of the person who made it (Article 95, paragraphs (1) to (3)) — and so may one made under fraud or duress, though one induced by a third party's fraud only if the other party knew of the fraud or could have known of it (Article 96, paragraphs (1) and (2)); a rescission for mistake or fraud cannot be relied on against a third party who did not know and was not careless in not knowing (Article 95, paragraph (4), and Article 96, paragraph (3)). One that an agent makes within the agent's authority, showing that it is made for the principal, takes effect directly for the principal (Article 99, paragraph (1)). The Consumer Contract Act lets a consumer rescind an offer or acceptance of a consumer contract made because the business, when soliciting it, told them something untrue about an important matter and they believed it, among other grounds (Consumer Contract Act, Article 4, paragraph (1), item (i)), and the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions does the same where, in a door-to-door sale, the seller or service provider told them something untrue about such matters as the goods or the price (Article 6, paragraph (1), and Article 9-3, paragraph (1), item (i)).
Written by AI using Civil Code, Arts. 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 123, 522, 527, 540, Consumer Contract Act, Art. 4 and Act on Specified Commercial Transactions, Arts. 6, 9-3 as a reference.