Article 14Change of Motor Vehicle Registration Number
第十四条(自動車登録番号の変更)
Where the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, upon an application under the preceding two Articles or otherwise, finds that the motor vehicle registration number of a registered motor vehicle no longer conforms to the standards specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as referred to in Article 9, the Minister is to change that motor vehicle registration number.
The provisions of Articles 9 and 10 and Article 11, paragraph (1) apply mutatis mutandis to the change of the motor vehicle registration number under the preceding paragraph.
Article 15Permanent Cancellation of Registration
第十五条(永久抹消登録)
In the following cases, the owner of a registered motor vehicle must file an application for permanent cancellation of registration within 15 days from the date of the cause (in the case where the cause is the dismantling of an end-of-life automobile, the date on which the owner learned that a record specified by Cabinet Order as a record evidencing that a report has been made to the Information Management Center under the Act on Recycling of End-of-Life Automobiles (hereinafter simply referred to as the "Information Management Center") to the effect that the motor vehicle has been properly dismantled based on the provisions of that Act (hereinafter referred to as a "dismantling report record") has been made):
where the registered motor vehicle has been lost, dismantled (excluding dismantling for maintenance or modification), or discontinued from use as a motor vehicle; or
where the chassis of the motor vehicle has ceased to be what existed at the time of the new registration of the motor vehicle.
A collector (meaning a collector under the Act on Recycling of End-of-Life Automobiles; the same applies in Article 100, paragraph (1), item (iii)) is to confirm that the dismantling report record has been made for a registered motor vehicle that it handles, based on the provisions of that Act, and upon so confirming, is to notify the owner of the motor vehicle to that effect, except where the collector itself is the owner of the motor vehicle.
When filing the application under paragraph (1) in connection with the dismantling of an end-of-life automobile, the owner of a registered motor vehicle must make clear the date on which the dismantling report record referred to in that paragraph was made, the chassis number, and any other particulars specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as necessary to identify that the dismantling report record relates to the motor vehicle.
In the case referred to in paragraph (1), if the owner of a registered motor vehicle does not file an application for permanent cancellation of registration, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism must, within a period of seven days or more that the Minister specifies, demand that the owner do so.
Where the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has made the demand under the preceding paragraph and the owner of the registered motor vehicle still does not file an application for permanent cancellation of registration without a justifiable reason, the Minister must carry out permanent cancellation of registration and notify the owner to that effect.
Article 15-2Cancellation of Registration for Export
第十五条の二(輸出抹消登録)
When intending to export a motor vehicle, the owner of a registered motor vehicle (excluding those specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) must, during the period from the day that is the period specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism before the scheduled date of the export until the time of the export, file an application for provisional cancellation of registration for export and receive a certificate of provisional cancellation of registration for export under the following paragraph; provided, however, that where the case falls under one specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as one in which the motor vehicle is expected to be re-imported into Japan after being temporarily exported and there is little need to have it receive provisional cancellation of registration for export, the owner must notify the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to that effect in advance, as provided by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Where the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has carried out provisional cancellation of registration for export on the basis of the application under the preceding paragraph, the Minister is to issue to the applicant a certificate of provisional cancellation of registration for export that states that export of the motor vehicle is scheduled and whose validity period runs until the scheduled date of the export.
Where the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has carried out provisional cancellation of registration for export on the basis of the application under paragraph (1), the Minister must, promptly after the scheduled date of export of the motor vehicle has passed, inquire of the Director-General of Customs about the fact that the confirmation under Article 70, paragraph (2) of the Customs Act (Act No. 61 of 1954) regarding possession of the certificate of provisional cancellation of registration for export prescribed in the preceding paragraph has been made, and about other matters necessary to confirm the fact of export of the motor vehicle. In this case, upon confirming the fact of export of the motor vehicle, the Minister is to carry out cancellation of registration for export.
Where the validity period of a certificate of provisional cancellation of registration for export issued under paragraph (2) has expired without the motor vehicle to which it relates having been exported, the owner of the motor vehicle must return the certificate of provisional cancellation of registration for export to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism within 15 days from the day on which the validity period expired.
Where the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has received the return of a certificate of provisional cancellation of registration for export under the preceding paragraph or for any other reason, the Minister is to deem that an application for temporary cancellation of registration under paragraph (1) of the following Article has been filed and carry out temporary cancellation of registration.
Article 16Temporary Cancellation of Registration
第十六条(一時抹消登録)
Except in the cases prescribed in the preceding two Articles, the owner of a registered motor vehicle may file an application for temporary cancellation of registration when the owner has ceased to put the motor vehicle to operation.
In the following cases, the owner of a motor vehicle that has received temporary cancellation of registration (excluding those specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) must notify the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to that effect, as provided by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, within 15 days from the date of the cause (in the case where the cause is the dismantling of an end-of-life automobile, the date on which the owner learned that the dismantling report record has been made):
where the motor vehicle has been lost, dismantled (excluding dismantling for maintenance or modification), or discontinued from use as a motor vehicle; or
当該自動車が滅失し、解体し(整備又は改造のために解体する場合を除く。)、又は自動車の用途を廃止したとき。
where the chassis of the motor vehicle has ceased to be what existed at the time of the new registration of the motor vehicle.
The provisions of Article 15, paragraphs (2) and (3) apply mutatis mutandis where the notification under the preceding paragraph is made in connection with the dismantling of an end-of-life automobile. In this case, the term "registered motor vehicle" in those provisions is deemed to be replaced with "motor vehicle that has received temporary cancellation of registration".
When intending to export a motor vehicle, the owner of a motor vehicle that has received temporary cancellation of registration (excluding those specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) must, during the period from the day that is the period specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism before the scheduled date of the export until the time of the export, notify the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to that effect, as provided by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and receive a certificate of notification of scheduled export under the following paragraph.
Upon receiving the notification under the preceding paragraph, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is to issue to the person who made the notification a certificate of notification of scheduled export that states that export of the motor vehicle is scheduled and whose validity period runs until the scheduled date of the export.
The provisions of paragraphs (3) and (4) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis where the notification under paragraph (4) has been made in connection with the export of a motor vehicle that has received temporary cancellation of registration. In this case, the term "certificate of provisional cancellation of registration for export" in paragraph (3) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "certificate of notification of scheduled export", the phrase "carry out cancellation of registration for export" with "record that fact in the motor vehicle registration file", and, in paragraph (4) of that Article, the term "paragraph (2)" is deemed to be replaced with "paragraph (5) of the following Article" and the term "certificate of provisional cancellation of registration for export" with "certificate of notification of scheduled export".
Where the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has received the return of a certificate of notification of scheduled export under Article 15-2, paragraph (4) as applied mutatis mutandis in the preceding paragraph or for any other reason, the Minister is to record that fact in the motor vehicle registration file.
Article 17Record of Notifications
第十七条(届出記録)
Upon receiving a notification under the proviso to Article 15-2, paragraph (1) or under paragraph (2) or (4) of the preceding Article, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is to record that fact in the motor vehicle registration file by means of the electronic data processing system referred to in Article 6, paragraph (1), as provided by Cabinet Order.
Article 18Measures to Ensure Accurate Records in the Motor Vehicle Registration File
第十八条(自動車登録ファイルの正確な記録を確保するための措置)
Where, judging from circumstances such as that the notification under Article 16, paragraph (2) or (4) has not been made even though the period specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has elapsed, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism finds that the owner of a motor vehicle for which temporary cancellation of registration has been carried out is, without a justifiable reason, in violation of those provisions or likely to be in violation of them, the Minister may take measures found necessary to ensure accurate records in the motor vehicle registration file for that motor vehicle, such as a demand that the notification under those provisions be made.
Where there has been a change of owner of a motor vehicle that has received temporary cancellation of registration, the former owner must prepare or obtain a contract or other materials capable of proving that the change of owner has occurred, retain them for the period specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and present or submit them when requested by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, except in the case where the change of owner has been recorded in the motor vehicle registration file under the following paragraph and other cases specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Where there has been a change of owner of a motor vehicle that has received temporary cancellation of registration, the new owner may, as provided by Cabinet Order, have the change of owner recorded in the motor vehicle registration file.
一時抹消登録を受けた自動車について所有者の変更があつたときは、新所有者は、政令で定めるところにより、当該所有者の変更について自動車登録ファイルに記録を受けることができる。
Article 18-2Notification of Registration Identification Information
第十八条の二(登録識別情報の通知)
Upon carrying out new registration, registration of change, transfer registration or temporary cancellation of registration, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism must promptly notify the applicant for that registration of the registration identification information relating to that registration, as provided by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; provided, however, that this does not apply where the applicant has indicated in advance that the applicant does not wish to be notified of registration identification information and in other cases specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
A person who has made the indication under the proviso to the preceding paragraph may, as provided by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, request the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism at any time to notify the person of registration identification information.
Article 18-3Provision of Registration Identification Information
第十八条の三(登録識別情報の提供)
When filing an application for new registration (limited to that relating to a motor vehicle for which temporary cancellation of registration has been made), registration of change, transfer registration, permanent cancellation of registration, provisional cancellation of registration for export, or temporary cancellation of registration, the applicant must provide registration identification information, as provided by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; provided, however, that this does not apply where there is a justifiable reason why the applicant cannot provide registration identification information and in other cases specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
A person who transfers a motor vehicle for which temporary cancellation of registration has been made must provide registration identification information to the transferee, as provided by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Article 19Obligation to Display Motor Vehicle Registration Number Plates
第十九条(自動車登録番号標の表示の義務)
A motor vehicle must not be put to operation unless it displays the motor vehicle registration number plate issued by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism or a motor vehicle registration number plate issuing agent under Article 25 pursuant to Article 11, paragraph (1) (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to paragraph (2) of that Article and Article 14, paragraph (2)), in the position specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and by a method specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as one that, by not covering the plate or otherwise, does not impede the identification of the motor vehicle registration number stated on the plate.