The competent minister may effect service by publication in the following cases:
主務大臣は、次に掲げる場合には、公示送達をすることができる。
if the domicile or residence of the person to be served or the place where service is to be effected is unknown;
送達を受けるべき者の住所、居所その他送達をすべき場所が知れない場合
when the service cannot be made pursuant to the provisions of Article 107, paragraph (1) of the Code of Civil Procedure as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to the preceding Article;
前条において準用する民事訴訟法第百七条第一項の規定により送達をすることができない場合
with regard to service that would be effected in a foreign country, if it is impossible to effect service by the means prescribed in Article 108 of the Code of Civil Procedure as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to the preceding Article, or it is found to be impossible to effect service by those means; or
外国においてすべき送達について、前条において準用する民事訴訟法第百八条の規定によることができず、又はこれによつても送達をすることができないと認めるべき場合
if no document that certifies that the agency has effected service has been sent, even after six months have passed since a commission was issued to the competent government agency of a foreign country pursuant to the provisions of Article 108 of the Code of Civil Procedure as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to the preceding Article.
前条において準用する民事訴訟法第百八条の規定により外国の管轄官庁に嘱託を発した後六月を経過してもその送達を証する書面の送付がない場合
Service by publication is effected by taking the measures of placing a notice that the document to be served is to be delivered to the person who is to receive service at any time in a state in which an unspecified number of persons can view it, by a method specified by order of the competent ministry, and of posting a document stating that notice on the bulletin board of the office of the competent minister, or placing that notice, displayed on the screen of a computer installed at that office, in a state in which it can be viewed.
公示送達は、送達すべき書類を送達を受けるべき者にいつでも交付すべき旨を主務省令で定める方法により不特定多数の者が閲覧することができる状態に置くとともに、その旨が記載された書面を主務大臣の事務所の掲示場に掲示し、又はその旨を当該事務所に設置した電子計算機の映像面に表示したものの閲覧をすることができる状態に置く措置をとることにより行う。
Service by publication becomes effective once two weeks have passed from the date on which the measures under the provisions of the preceding paragraph were commenced.
公示送達は、前項の規定による措置を開始した日から二週間を経過することによつて、その効力を生ずる。
The period stated in the preceding paragraph is six weeks for service by publication that is done for service that would be effected in a foreign country.
外国においてすべき送達についてした公示送達にあつては、前項の期間は、六週間とする。