①The term "door-to-door sale" as used in this Chapter and in Article 58-18, paragraph (1) means the following:

②The term "mail order sale" as used in this Chapter and in Article 58-19 means a sale of goods or specified rights or providing services that a seller or a service provider undertakes after having received an offer to enter into a sales contract or a service contract by postal mail or other means specified by order of the competent ministry (hereinafter referred to as "postal mail or a similar means"), and that does not fall under the category of telemarketing sales.

③The term "telemarketing sale" as used in this Chapter and in Article 58-20, paragraph (1) means a sale of goods or specified rights or providing services that a seller or a service provider undertakes after having telephoned a person or having had a person to telephone the seller or the service provider by a means specified by Cabinet Order, during which telephone call the seller or the service provider has solicited the person to enter into a sales contract or a service contract (hereinafter referred to as an "act of telemarketing"), due to which the seller or the service provider received the relevant offer to enter into a sales contract or a service contract from the solicited person (hereinafter referred to as a "telemarketing target") by postal mail or a similar means, or due to which the seller or the service provider entered into the sales contract or a service contract with the telemarketing target via postal mail or a similar means.

④The term "specified right" as used in this Chapter and in Article 58-19, item (i) and Article 67, paragraph (1) means the following rights:

When a seller or a service provider seeks to conduct door-to-door sales, prior to solicitation, the seller or the service provider must clearly indicate to the other party the name of the seller or the service provider, the fact that the purpose is to solicit the person to enter into a sales contract or a service contract, and the type of goods, rights, or services connected with the solicitation.

①When a seller or a service provider seeks to conduct a door-to-door sale, the seller or the service provider must endeavor to confirm that the other party is willing to be solicited.

②A seller or a service provider must not solicit a person to enter into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a door-to-door sale if that person has indicated an unwillingness to enter into the sales contract or a service contract.

①When a seller or a service provider has received an offer to enter into a sales contract for goods or specified rights or an offer to enter into a service contract for services at a place other than an office or other location, or has received an offer to enter into a sales contract for goods or specified rights or an offer to enter into a service contract for services at an office or other location from a specified customer, pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry, the seller or the service provider must immediately deliver a document to the person who made the offer, giving the details of the offer with respect to the following information; provided, however, that this does not apply if the seller or the service provider enters into the sales contract or the service contract upon receiving the offer:

②In place of the delivery in writing under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, a seller or a service provider may provide the information that should be described in the documents by an electronic or magnetic means (meaning a means that makes use of an electronic data processing system or any other means that makes use of information and communications technology, which is specified by order of the competent ministry; the same applies hereinafter) after gaining the consent of the person who made the offer, pursuant to Cabinet Order. In this case, the seller or the service provider is deemed to have delivered the documents.

③The provision of information that should be described in documents as specified in the first sentence of the previous paragraph through electronic or magnetic means (excluding means specified by order of the competent ministry) means that the information is deemed to have reached the person who made the offer when it was recorded in a file stored on the computer used by the person who made the offer.

①Except as prescribed in the following paragraph, if a seller or a service provider falls under one of the following items, the seller or the service provider must deliver a document to the purchaser or the service recipient that clarifies the details of the sales contract or the service contract with respect to the information referred to in the items of the preceding Article, paragraph (1) (with respect to the information referred to in item (v) of the paragraph, this is limited to information about the cancellation of the sales contract or the service contract) without delay (or immediately, in the case prescribed in the proviso to that Article), pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry:

②If a seller or a service provider falls under one of the items of the preceding paragraph and, upon entering into a sales contract or a service contract, the seller or the service provider delivers the goods, transfers the specified rights, or provides the services and receives the total amount of the charges for the goods or specified rights or the consideration for the services, pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry, the seller or the service provider must immediately deliver to the purchaser or the service recipient a document giving the information referred to in paragraph (1), items (i) and (ii) of the preceding Article, and the portion of the information referred to in item (v) of the paragraph that is about canceling the sales contract or the service contract, and any other information specified by order of the competent ministry.

③The provisions of paragraph (2) and paragraph (3) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to the delivery in writing under the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs. In this case, the phrase "the person who made the offer" in paragraph (2) and paragraph (3) of the Article is deemed to be replaced with "the purchaser or the service recipient".

①A seller or a service provider must not misrepresent the following information, either in soliciting a person to enter into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a door-to-door sale, or in order to prevent the withdrawal or cancellation of an offer to enter into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a door-to-door sale or the cancellation of the contract:

②A seller or a service provider must not intentionally fail to disclose facts with respect to the matters listed in items (i) through (v) of the preceding paragraph in soliciting a person to enter into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a door-to-door sale.

③A seller or a service provider must not use intimidation to overwhelm a person in order to have that person enter into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a door-to-door sale, in order to prevent the person from withdrawing an offer to enter into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a door-to-door sale, or in order to prevent the person from canceling the contract.

④A seller or a service provider must not solicit a person whom the seller or the service provider has stopped and taken along with them or whom the seller or the service provider has induced away from a place that is not an office or other location by any other means specified by Cabinet Order, to enter into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a door-to-door sale other than in a place into and out of which the general public comes and goes, without first having informed the person that the purpose for doing so is to solicit the person to enter into the sales contract orthe service contract.

On finding that it is necessary to do so in order to determine whether a seller or a service provider has misrepresented the information prescribed in paragraph (1), item (i) of the preceding Article, the competent minister may ask the seller or the service provider to submit materials showing reasonable grounds to support the information conveyed to the other party, within a specified period. In this case, if the seller or the service provider fails to submit those materials, concerning application of the provisions of paragraph (1) of the following Article and Article 8, paragraph (1), thethe seller or the service provider is deemed to have misrepresented the information prescribed in that item.

①If a seller or a service provider has violated any of the provisions of Article 3, Article 3-2, paragraph (2), Article 4, paragraph (1), Article 5, paragraph (1) or paragraph (2), or Article 6, or has engaged in any of the following conduct, and the competent minister finds that the conduct is likely to prejudice the fairness of a transaction connected with a door-to-door sale and the interests of the purchaser or the service recipient, the minister may instruct the seller or the service provider to take measures to correct the violation or conduct, measures to protect the interests of the purchaser or the service recipient, and any other necessary measures:

②Having given an instruction under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the competent minister must issue a public announcement to that effect.

①If a seller or a service provider has violated any of the provisions of Article 3, Article 3-2, paragraph (2), Article 4, paragraph (1), Article 5, paragraph (1) or paragraph (2), or Article 6 or has engaged in any of the conduct listed in the items of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, and the competent minister finds that the conduct is likely to significantly prejudice the fairness of a transaction connected with a door-to-door sale and the interests of the purchaser or the service recipient, or the seller or the service provider fails to follow the instructions under the provisions of that paragraph, the minister may order the seller or the service provider to suspend its business activities that are connected with door-to-door sales in whole or in part, during a specified period of no longer than two years. In this case, if the seller or the service provider is an individual, the competent may also prohibit the individual from becoming an officer (meaning a member in charge of the executive management of business operations, a director, an operating officer, a representative, a manager, and including a person that has controlling power over a corporation that is equal or superior to a member in charge of the executive management of business operations, a director, an operating officer, a representative, a manager, regardless of the name of the person's position, the consultant or adviser; the same applies hereinafter) in charge of the business activities that are subject to the suspension at a corporation (including an association or a foundation without legal personality that has designated a representative or a manager; hereinafter the same applies) that engages in those business activities, for a period equal to the period of that suspension.

②When the competent minister orders suspension of business pursuant to the provisions of the first sentence of the preceding paragraph, when the seller or the service provider is an individual, and when this specified associated corporation (meaning a corporation whose business management is substantially controlled by a seller or a service provider, an executive thereof, a person who supervises the business operations of business offices thereof, or other employees specified by Cabinet Order (hereinafter simply referred to as "employees") (including a person who was an officer or employee within one year before the date of the order; the same applies in paragraph (2) of the next Article, Article 15, paragraph (2), and Article 23-2, paragraph (2)) and other corporations specified by Cabinet Order; the same applies in this Chapter) is found to conduct business activities equal to the scope of the business activities subject to the suspension, the minister may order the seller or the service provider to suspend the business activities conducted by the specified associated corporation for the period equal to the period of the suspension.

③Having issued an order under the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, the competent minister must issue a public announcement to that effect.

①If the competent minister orders a seller or a service provider to suspend its business activities pursuant to the first sentence of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, and the person specified in accordance with the category of cases listed in the following items in the relevant items is a person specified by order of the competent ministry as one whose door-to-door sales should be restricted so as to ensure the effectiveness of the order in consideration of the facts constituting the grounds for the order and the weight of the responsibility that the person had for those facts, the minister may prohibit the person from commencing new business activities that fall within the scope of the suspension (including becoming an officer in charge of the relevant business activities of a corporation that engages in the business activities) for a period equal to the period of that suspension:

②When the competent minister prohibits business activities of an officer or employee pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph and the officer or employee falls under any of the following items, the minister may order the officer or employee to suspend the same business activities conducted by it and provided for in each of the items for a period equal to the period of the prohibition.

③Having issued an order under the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, the competent minister must issue a public announcement to that effect.

①If a seller or a service provider has received an offer to enter into a sales contract for goods or specified rights or an offer to enter into a service contract for services at a place other than an office or other location; if a seller or a service provider has received an offer to enter into a sales contract for goods or specified rights or an offer to enter into a service contract for services at an office or other location from a specified customer; if a seller or a service provider has entered into a sales contract for goods or specified rights or a service contract for services at a place other than an office or other location (excluding the case where the seller or the service provider received the offer at an office or other location and entered into the sales contract or the service contract at a place other than an office or other location); or if a seller or a service provider has entered into a sales contract for goods or specified rights or a service contract for services at an office or other location with a specified customer, the person who made the offer or the purchaser or the service recipient (hereinafter referred to as the "offerer or purchaser" in this Article through Article 9-3) may withdraw the offer to enter into a sales contract or a service contract or cancel the sales contract or the service contract (hereinafter referred to as the "withdrawal of an offer or cancellation" of a contract in this Article) in writing or through electronic or magnetic records (meaning records created in electronic form, magnetic form, or any other form not recognizable by human perception, which is used in information processing by computers; the same applies hereinafter); provided, however, that this does not apply once eight days have passed after the date on which the offerer or purchaser received the document referred to in Article 5, paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) (or after the date on which the offerer or purchaser received the document referred to in Article 4, paragraph (1), if the offerer or purchaser received the document under Article 4 at an earlier date than that on which the offerer or purchaser received the document referred to in Article 5) (if the offerer or purchaser did not withdraw the offer or cancel the contract before the end of that period because of having been under the misconception that information about the withdrawal of an offer or cancellation of the contract that the seller or the service provider had misrepresented to the offerer or purchaser, in violation of the provisions of Article 6, paragraph (1), was true, or because the offerer or purchaser was overwhelmed due to the seller's or the service provider's use of intimidation, in violation of the provisions of paragraph (3) of that Article, when eight days have passed after the date on which the offerer or purchaser received a document delivered to them by the seller or the service provider pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry that contains a notice to the effect that the offerer or purchaser may withdraw the offer or cancel the sales contract or the service contract).

②The withdrawal of an offer or cancellation of a contract takes effect at the time the withdrawal or cancellation is stated in writing or through notification by electronic or magnetic records.

③If a person withdraws an offer or cancels a contract, the seller or the service provider may not claim damages or demand the payment of any penalty in connection with the withdrawal of the offer or cancellation of the contract.

④If a person withdraws an offer or cancels a contract, the seller bears the costs required for taking back or returning any goods already delivered or any rights already transferred under the sales contract.

⑤If a person withdraws an offer or cancels a sales contract for goods or specified rights or a service contract, the seller or the service provider may not demand that the offerer or purchaser pay money equal to any benefit gained through the use of the goods or through the exercise of the rights, nor may the seller or the service provider demand that the offerer or purchaser pay consideration or any other money for services under the service contract, even if the goods delivered based on the sales contract have already been used or the rights have already been exercised, or even if services have already been provided based on the service contract.

⑥If a person withdraws an offer or cancels a service contract, the service provider must promptly return any money the service provider has received in association with the service contract to the offerer or purchaser.

⑦If the offerer or purchaser under a service contract or a sales contract for specified rights has withdrawn the offer to enter or canceled the service contract or the sales contract, and the existing state of the offerer or purchaser's land, building, or any other structure was changed in line with services that were to be provided in connection with the service contract or the specified rights, the offerer or purchaser may demand that the service provider or the seller of the specified rights take the necessary measures to restore it to its original state at no charge.

⑧Any special provisions of a contract that run counter to the provisions of the preceding paragraphs and that are disadvantageous to the offerer or purchaser are invalid.

①An offerer or purchaser may withdraw an offer to enter into a sales contract or a service contract that falls under the category of any of the following contracts, or may cancel the sales contract or the service contract (hereinafter referred to as "withdrawal of an offer or cancellation" of a contract in this Article); provided, however, that this does not apply if there are special circumstances that make it necessary for the offerer or purchaser to enter into the contract:

②An offerer or purchaser must exercise the right under the provisions of the preceding paragraph within one year from the time of entry into the sales contract or the service contract.

③The provisions of paragraphs (3) through (8) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to the withdrawal of an offer or cancellation of a contract under the provisions of paragraph (1). In this case, the term "the preceding paragraphs" in paragraph (8) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "paragraphs (1) and (2) of the following Article and paragraphs (3) through the preceding paragraph as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to paragraph (3) of that Article".

①If the offerer or purchaser was under a misconception specified in one of the following items as a result of the seller's or the service provider's having engaged in the conduct listed in that item in soliciting the offerer's or purchaser's entry into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a door-to-door sale, because of which the offerer or purchaser indicated the intention to offer to enter or accept a sales contract or a service contract, the offerer or purchaser may retract the manifestation of that intention to offer to enter or accept the contract:

②The retraction under the provisions of the preceding paragraph of the manifestation of the intention to offer to enter into or accept a sales contract or a service contract connected with a door-to-door sale may not be duly asserted against a third party in good faith that is free from any negligence.

③The provisions of paragraph (1) do not preclude the application of the provisions of Article 96 of the Civil Code (Act No. 89 of 1896) to the manifestation of intention to offer to enter into or accept a sales contract or a service contract connected with a door-to-door sale prescribed in the paragraph.

④The right to a retraction under the provisions of paragraph (1) extinguishes by prescription if it is not exercised within one year from the time that a contract can be ratified. The same applies once five years have passed after the time that the relevant sales contract or the service contract was entered into.

⑤Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 121-2, paragraph (1) of the Civil Code, if an offerer or purchaser to whom a benefit has been conferred through the performance of an obligation under a sales contract or a service contract connected with a door-to-door sale retracts the manifestation of the intention to offer to enter into or accept the contract pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), but the offerer or purchaser did not know that the manifestation of the intention could be retracted when the benefit was conferred, the offerer or purchaser bears the obligation to return up to the extent of the actual benefit received based on the sales contract or the service contract.

①If a seller or a service provider has entered into a sales contract or a service contract falling under any of the items in Article 5, paragraph (1), but the sales contract or the service contract is canceled, the seller or the service provider may not demand that the purchaser or the service recipient pay an amount of money that exceeds the aggregate of the amount specified in the cases stated in the relevant items among the following items for the cases listed in them and the amount of the relevant damages for delay based on the statutory interest rate, even if there is a provision for liquidated damages or a provision for a penalty:

②If a seller or a service provider has entered into a sales contract or a service contract falling under any of the items in Article 5, paragraph (1), but the obligation to pay the charges under the sales contract or the consideration under the service contract is not performed in whole or in part (excluding cases where the sales contract or the service contract has been canceled), the seller or the service provider may not demand that the purchaser or the service recipient pay an amount of money that exceeds the aggregate of the amount equal to the sales price of the goods or rights or the consideration for the services less the already-paid amount of the charges for the goods or rights or the consideration for the services plus the amount of any damages for delay based on the statutory interest rate, even if there is a provision for liquidated damages or a provision for a penalty.

When a seller or a service provider advertises the terms and conditions under which the seller or the service provider sells goods or specified rights or provides services through mail order sales, the seller or the service provider must indicate the following information concerning the goods, rights, or services in the advertisement pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry; provided, however, that the seller or the service provider is permitted not to indicate a portion of this information, pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry, if the seller or the service provider indicates in the advertisement that upon request the seller or the service provider will deliver a document or provide an electronic or magnetic record that gives this information without delay:

When a seller or a service provider advertises the terms and conditions under which the seller or the service provider sells goods or specified rights or provides services through mail order sales, the seller or the service provider must not make a representation regarding the performance of the goods or the details of the rights or services, regarding information on the withdrawal of an offer to enter into a sales contract for the goods or the rights or a service contract for the service or the cancellation (if there are special provisions as prescribed in the proviso to Article 15-3, paragraph (1), this information includes the details of those special provisions), or regarding any other information specified by order of the competent ministry with respect to mail order sales, that differs significantly from the truth or could mislead people into believing that conditions are significantly better or more advantageous than they are in reality.

On finding that it is necessary to do so in order to determine whether a seller's or service provider's representation falls under the category of representations provided in the preceding Article, the competent minister may ask the seller or the service provider that made that representation to submit materials showing reasonable grounds to support it within a specified period. In this case, if the seller or the service provider fails to submit those materials, with regard to the application of the provisions of Article 14, paragraph (1) and Article 15, paragraph (1), the representation is deemed to fall under the category of representations provided in the preceding Article.

①Except in the following cases, a seller or a service provider must not advertise via email (meaning advertising by sending advertising text or any other data by an electronic or magnetic means in a way that causes it to be displayed on the screen of the computer used by the advertising target; the same applies hereinafter) with regard to the terms and conditions under which the seller or the service provider sells goods or specified rights or provides services through mail order sales, without the consent of the advertising target:

②A seller or a service provider that has obtained the consent prescribed in the preceding paragraph or that has received the request prescribed in item (i) of that paragraph must mot send email advertising mail order sales to an advertising target if the target of the email advertising mail order sales indicates an unwillingness to receive email advertising mail order sales; provided, however, that this does not apply if the seller or the service provider later receives another request from the advertising target or regains the consent of the advertising target to send email advertising mail order sales.

③Except in the case stated in paragraph (1), item (ii) or (iii), when sending email advertising mail order sales, a seller or a service provider must prepare what is specified by order of the competent ministry as a record of having obtained the consent of the advertising target or having received a request from the advertising target to send email advertising mail order sales, and must preserve the records pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry.

④Except in the case stated in paragraph (1), item (ii) or (iii), in addition to the matters listed in the items of Article 11, pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry, when sending email advertising mail order sales, a seller or a service provider must indicate in its email advertising mail order sales the information that order of the competent ministry specifies as information that an advertising target needs to have in order to indicate an unwillingness to receive email advertising mail order sales.

⑤If a seller or a service provider has comprehensively entrusted another person with all of the following business activities, the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs do not apply to any email advertising mail order sales subject to that entrustment:

①Except in the following cases, a person comprehensively entrusted with all of the business activities listed in the items of paragraph (5) of the preceding Article by a seller or a service provider (the person is hereinafter referred to as a "contractor sending email advertising mail order sales" in this Section, Article 66, paragraph (6) and Article 67, paragraph(1), item (iv)) must not send email advertising mail order sales with regard to the terms and conditions under which the seller or the service provider that entrusted the contractor with those business activities (hereinafter referred to as the "party entrusting a contractor with email advertising mail order sales" in this Section) sells goods or specified rights or provides services through mail order sales, without the consent of the advertising target:

②The provisions of paragraphs (2) through (4) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to email advertising the mail order sales of a party entrusting a contractor sending email advertising mail order sales which is sent by the contractor sending email advertising mail order sales. In this case, the phrase "paragraph (1), item (ii) or (iii)" in paragraphs (3) and (4) of the preceding Article is deemed to be replaced with "paragraph (1), item (ii) of the following Article".

①Except in the following cases, a seller or a service provider must not advertise via facsimile (meaning advertising by sending advertising text or any other information by using a facsimile machine; the same applies in item (i)) with regard to the terms and conditions under which the seller or the service provider sells goods or specified rights or provides services through mail order sales, without the consent of the advertising target:

②A seller or a service provider that has obtained the consent prescribed in the preceding paragraph or that has received a request prescribed in item (i) of that paragraph must not send facsimile advertisements for mail order sales to an advertising target if the target of the facsimile advertisements for mail order sales indicates an unwillingness to receive facsimile advertisements for mail order sales; provided, however, that this does not apply if the seller or the service provider later receives another request from the advertising target or regains the consent of the advertising target to send facsimile advertisements for mail order sales.

③Except in a case stated in paragraph (1), item (ii) or (iii), when sending facsimile advertisements for mail order sales, a seller or a service provider must prepare what is specified by order of the competent ministry as a record of having obtained the consent of the advertising target or having received a request from the advertising target to send facsimile advertisements for mail order sales, and must preserve those records pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry.

④Except in a case stated in paragraph (1), item (ii) or (iii), when sending facsimile advertisements for mail order sales, pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry, a seller or a service provider must indicate in its facsimile advertisements for mail order sales information that is specified by order of the competent ministry as the information that an advertising target needs to have in order to indicate an unwillingness to receive facsimile advertisements for mail order sales, beyond the matters listed in the items of Article 11.

①When a seller or a service provider receives an offer to enter into a sales contract or a service contract related to mail order sales made by customers in writing with a format specified by the seller or the service provider or a person entrusted by it or an offer to enter into a sales contract or a service contract related to mail order sales made by customers through a method where the seller or the service provider or a person entrusted by it uses an electronic data processing system or any other means that makes use of information and communications technology using procedures that display information on the screen of the computer used by the customers (hereinafter collectively referred to as a "specified offer"), the seller or the service provider must display the following matters on documents or a screen on which the processes are displayed related to the specified offer:

②A seller or a service provider must not display the following indications on documents related to specified offers or screens on which procedures are displayed:

①If a seller or a service provider engages in mail order sales in which the seller or the service provider receives charges for goods or rights or the consideration for services in whole or in part prior to the delivery of goods, the transfer of rights, or providing services from a person who has offered a sales contract for goods or specified rights or who has offered a service contract for services, and the seller or the service provider receives an offer to enter into a sales contract for goods or rights or a service contract for services by postal mail or a similar means and receives the charges for the goods or rights or consideration for the services in whole or in part, the seller or the service provider must notify the person who made the offer in writing of the acceptance or non-acceptance of the offer (if the seller or the service provider notified the person who made the offer of the acceptance or non-acceptance of the offer before receiving those charges or that consideration, the seller or the service provider must send the person a notice to that effect) and of any other information specified by order of the competent ministry without delay, pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry; provided, however, that this does not apply if the seller or the service provider has sent the goods, transferred the rights, or provided the services without delay after receiving the charges for the goods or rights or the consideration for the services in whole or in part.

②In place of the notification in writing under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, a seller or a service provider may provide the information that should be described in the documents by an electronic or magnetic means, after gaining the consent of the person who made the offer, pursuant to Cabinet Order. In this case, the seller or the service provider is deemed to have made the notification in writing.

A seller or a service provider must not make a misrepresentation on matters related to withdrawal of an offer to enter into a sales contract or a service contract related to mail order sales or cancellation of the sales contract or the service contract (including matters on the provision of Article 15-3) or matters on circumstances that require customers to enter into the sales contract or the service contract in order to prevent withdrawal or cancellation of the offer to enter into the sales contract or the service contract.

①If a seller or a service provider has violated any of the provisions of Article 11, Article 12, or Article 12-3 (excluding paragraph (5)), Article 12-5, Article 12-6, Article 13, paragraph (1), or Article 13-2, or has engaged in any of the following conduct, and the competent minister finds that the conduct is likely to prejudice the fairness of a transaction connected with a mail order sale and the interests of the purchaser or the service recipient, the minister may instruct the seller or the service provider to take measures for correcting the violation or conduct, measures for protecting the interests of the purchaser or the service recipient, and any other necessary measures:

②If a contractor sending email advertising mail order sales has violated any of the provisions of Article 12-4, paragraph (1) or Article 12-3, paragraphs (2) through (4) as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 12-4, paragraph (2) or has engaged in any of the following conduct, and the competent minister finds that the conduct is likely to prejudice the fairness of a transaction connected with mail order sales and the interests of the purchaser or the service recipient, the minister may instruct the contractor sending email advertising mail order sales to take any necessary measures:

③Having given an instruction under the provisions of paragraph (1), the competent minister must issue a public announcement to that effect.

④Having given an instruction under the provisions of paragraph (2), the competent minister must issue a public announcement to that effect.

①If a seller or a service provider has violated any of the provisions of Article 11, 12, or 12-3 (excluding paragraph (5)), Article 12-5, Article 12-6, Article 13, paragraph (1), or Article 13-2, or has engaged in any of the conduct listed in the items of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, and the competent minister finds that the conduct is likely to significantly prejudice the fairness of a transaction connected with a mail order sale and the interests of the purchaser or the service recipient or the seller or the service provider fails to follow the instructions under the provisions of that paragraph, the minister may order the seller or the service provider to suspend those of its business activities that are connected with mail order sales in whole or in part, during a specified period of no longer than two years. In this case, if the seller or the service provider is an individual, the minister may also prohibit the individual from becoming an officer in charge of business activities that are subject to the suspension at a corporation that engages in those business activities for a period equal to the period of that suspension.

②If the competent minister orders suspension of business pursuant to the provisions of the first sentence of the preceding paragraph, and the seller or service provider is an individual, and the specified associated corporation is found to conduct business activities equal to the scope of the business activities subject to the suspension, the minister may order the seller or the service provider to suspend the business activities conducted by the specified associated corporation for the period equal to the period of the suspension.

③If a contractor sending email advertising mail order sales has violated any of the provisions of Article 12-4, paragraph (1) or Article 12-3, paragraphs (2) through (4) as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 12-4, paragraph (2) or has engaged in any of the conduct listed in the items of paragraph (2) of the preceding Article, and the competent minister finds that the conduct is likely to significantly prejudice the fairness of a transaction connected with mail order sales and the interests of the purchaser or the service recipient, or if a contractor sending email advertising mail order sales fails to follow the instructions under the provisions of that paragraph, the minister may order the contractor sending email advertising mail order sales to suspend those of its business activities that are connected with email advertising mail order sales in whole or in part, during a specified period of no longer than one year.

④Having issued an order under the provisions of paragraph (1) or paragraph (2), the competent minister must issue a public announcement to that effect.

⑤Having issued an order under the provisions of paragraph (3), the competent minister must issue a public announcement to that effect.

①If the competent minister orders a seller or a service provider to suspend its business activities pursuant to the first sentence of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, and a person that the relevant items among the following items prescribe for the category of the case stated in that item is a person specified by order of the competent ministry as one whose mail order sales should be restricted so as to ensure the effectiveness of the order in consideration the facts constituting the grounds for the order and the weight of the responsibility that the person had for those facts, the minister may prohibit the person from commencing new business activities that fall within the scope of the suspension (including becoming an officer in charge of the relevant business activities of a corporation that engages in the business activities) for a period equal to the period of that suspension:

②Where the competent minister prohibits business activities of an officer or employee pursuant to the provision of the preceding paragraph and the officer or employee falls under any of the following items, the minister may order the officer or employee to suspend the same business activities conducted by the person and provided for in each of the items for a period equal to the period of the prohibition.

③Having issued an order under the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, the competent minister must issue a public announcement to that effect.

①If a seller that has advertised terms and conditions for selling goods or specified rights through mail order sales has received an offer to enter into a sales contract for those goods or specified rights or entered into a sales contract for those goods or specified rights, the person making the offer or the purchaser (simply referred to as the "purchaser" in the following paragraph) may withdraw the offer to enter into the sales contract or cancel the sales contract (hereinafter referred to as a "withdrawal of an offer or cancellation" of a contract in this Article) during the period up until eight days have passed since the date on which the purchaser is delivered the goods or is transferred the specified rights; provided, however, that this does not apply if the seller had indicated special provisions on withdrawal of an offer or cancellation of a contract in its advertisement (if the sales contract is an electronic consumer contract prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (1) of the Act on Special Provisions of the Civil Code for Electronic Consumer Contracts (Act No. 95 of 2001) or in any other cases specified by order of the competent ministry, the case where the seller had indicated special provisions in its advertisement and had also indicated those special provisions by a method other than an advertisement that is specified by order of the competent ministry).

②If a person withdraws an offer or cancels a contract, the purchaser bears the costs required for taking back or returning any goods already delivered or any specified rights already transferred under the sales contract.

①When a seller or a service provider conducts any of the acts listed in the following items at the time of receiving a specified offer, and a person who made the specified offer is given the mistaken impressions specified in the items as a result of the acts and manifested intention for the specified offer, the person may rescind the manifested intention.

②The provisions of Article 9-3, paragraphs (2) through (5) apply mutatis mutandis to the retraction: under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, of the manifested intention for a specified offer.

When a seller or a service provider seeks to conduct telemarketing sales, prior to solicitation, the seller or the service provider must tell the other party the name of the seller or the service provider and the name of the solicitor, the type of the goods, rights, or services, and the fact that the purpose of the telephone call is to solicit the person to enter into a sales contract or a service contract.

A seller or a service provider must not solicit a person to enter into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a telemarketing sale if that person has indicated an unwillingness to enter into the sales contract or a service contract.

①When a seller or a service provider receives an offer to enter into a sales contract for goods or specified rights or an offer to enter into a service contract for services from a telemarketing target by postal mail or a similar means as a result of an act of telemarketing, the seller or the service provider must deliver a document giving the details of the offer to the person who made the offer with respect to the following information without delay, pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry; provided, however, that this does not apply if the seller or the service provider has entered into the sales contract or the service contract upon receiving the offer for them:

②In place of the delivery in writing under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, a seller or a service provider may provide the information that should be described in the documents by an electronic or magnetic means, after gaining the consent of the person who made the offer, pursuant to Cabinet Order. In this case, the seller or the service provider is deemed to have delivered the documents.

③Regarding the provision of information that should be described in documents as specified in the first sentence of the previous paragraph through electronic or magnetic means (excluding means specified by order of the competent ministry), the information is deemed to have reached the person who made the offer when it is recorded in a file stored on the computer used by the person who made the offer.

①Except as prescribed in the following paragraph, if a seller or a service provider falls under one of the following items, the seller or the service provider must deliver a document to the purchaser or the service recipient that clarifies the details of the sales contract or the service contract with respect to the matters listed in the items of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article (with respect to the information referred to in item (v) of that Article, limited to information about the cancellation of the sales contract or the service contract) without delay, pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry:

②If a seller or a service provider falls under item (ii) of the preceding paragraph and, upon entering into a sales contract or a service contract, the seller or the service provider delivers the goods, transfers the specified rights, or provides the services and receives the total amount of the charges for the goods or specified rights or the consideration for the services, pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry, the seller or the service provider must immediately deliver to the purchaser or the service recipient a document giving the information referred to in paragraph (1), items (i) and (ii) of the preceding Article, the portion of the information referred to in item (v) of the paragraph of the Article that is about canceling the sales contract or the service contract, and any information specified by order of the competent ministry.

③The provisions of paragraph (2) and paragraph (3) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to the delivery in writing under the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs. In this case, the phrase "the person who made the offer" in paragraph (2) and paragraph (3) of the Article is deemed to be replaced with "the purchaser or the service recipient".

①If a seller or a service provider engages in telemarketing sales in which the seller or the service provider receives charges for goods or rights or the consideration for services in whole or in part prior to the delivery of goods, the transfer of rights, or providing services from a person who has offered a sales contract for goods or specified rights or who has offered a service contract for services, when the seller or the service provider has received an offer to enter into a sales contract for goods or rights or a service contract for services by postal mail or a similar means and has received the charges for the goods or rights or the consideration for the services in whole or in part, the seller or the service provider must notify the person who made the offer in writing of the acceptance or non-acceptance of the offer (if the seller or the service provider has notified the person who made the offer of the acceptance or non-acceptance of the offer before receiving the charges or consideration, the seller or the service provider must send the person a notice to that effect) and of any other information specified by order of the competent ministry without delay, pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry; provided, however, that this does not apply if the seller or the service provider has sent the goods, transferred the rights, or provided the services without delay after receiving the charges for the goods or rights or the consideration for the services in whole or in part.

②In place of the notification in writing under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, a seller or a service provider may provide the information that should be described in the documents by an electronic or magnetic means, after gaining the consent of the person who made the offer, pursuant to Cabinet Order. In this case, the seller or the service provider is deemed to have made the notification in writing.

①A seller or a service provider must not misrepresent the following information, either in soliciting a person to enter into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a telemarketing sale, or in order to prevent the withdrawal of an offer to enter into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a telemarketing sale or the cancellation of the contract:

②A seller or a service provider must not intentionally fail to disclose facts with respect to the matters listed in items (i) through (v) of the preceding paragraph in soliciting a person to enter into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a telemarketing sale.

③A seller or a service provider must not use intimidation to overwhelm a person, either in order to have the person enter into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a telemarketing sale, or to prevent the person from withdrawing an offer to enter into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a telemarketing sale or from canceling the contract.

On finding that it is necessary to do so in order to determine whether a seller or a service provider has misrepresented the information prescribed in paragraph (1), item (i) of the preceding Article, the competent minister may ask the seller or the service provider to submit materials showing reasonable grounds to support the information conveyed to the other party, within a specified period. In this case, if the seller or the service provider fails to submit those materials, with regard to the application of the provisions of paragraph (1) of the following Article and Article 23, paragraph (1), thethe seller or the service provider is deemed to have misrepresented the information prescribed in that item.

①If a seller or a service provider has violated any of the provisions of Article 16, Article 17, Article 18, paragraph (1), Article 19, paragraph (1) or paragraph (2), Article 20, paragraph (1), or Article 21 or has engaged in any of the following conduct, and the competent minister finds that the conduct is likely to prejudice the fairness of a transaction connected with a telemarketing sale and the interests of the purchaser or the service recipient, the minister may instruct the seller or the service provider to take measures for correcting the violation or conduct, measures for protecting the interests of the purchaser or the service recipient, and any other necessary measures:

②Having given an instruction under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the competent minister must issue a public announcement to that effect.

①If a seller or a service provider has violated any of the provisions of Article 16, Article 17, Article 18, paragraph (1), Article 19, paragraph (1) or paragraph (2), Article 20, paragraph (1), or Article 21 or has engaged in any of the conduct listed in the items of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, and the competent minister finds that the conduct is likely to significantly prejudice the fairness of a transaction connected with a telemarketing sale and the interests of the purchaser or the service recipient or the seller or the service provider fails to follow the instructions under the provisions of that paragraph, the minister may order the seller or the service provider to suspend its business activities that are connected with telemarketing sales in whole or in part, during a specified period of no longer than two years. In this case, if the seller or the service provider is an individual, the minister may also prohibit the individual from becoming an officer in charge of the business activities of a corporation that engages in the business activities which fall within the scope of the suspension, for a period equal to the period of that suspension.

②If the competent minister orders suspension of business pursuant to the provisions of the first sentence of the preceding paragraph, and when the seller or the service provider is an individual and a specified associated corporation of them is found to conduct business activities equal to the scope of the business activities subject to the suspension, the minister may order the seller or the service provider to suspend the business activities conducted by the specified associated corporation for the period equal to the period of the suspension.

③Having issued an order under the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, the competent minister must issue a public announcement to that effect.

①If the competent minister orders a seller or a service provider to suspend their business activities pursuant to the first sentence of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, and a person that the relevant items among the following items prescribe for the category of the case stated in that item is a person specified by order of the competent ministry as one whose telemarketing sales should be restricted so as to ensure the effectiveness of the order in consideration of the facts constituting the grounds for the order and the weight of the responsibility that the person had for those facts, the minister may prohibit the person from commencing new business activities that fall within the scope of the suspension (including becoming an officer in charge of the relevant business activities of a corporation that engages in the business activities) for a period equal to the period of that suspension:

②If the competent minister prohibits business activities of an officer or employee pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph and the officer or employee falls under any of the following items, the minister may order the officer or employee to suspend the same business activities conducted by them and provided for in each of the items for a period equal to the period of the prohibition.

③Having issued an order under the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, the competent minister must issue a public announcement to that effect.

①If a seller or a service provider has received an offer to enter into a sales contract for goods or specified rights or an offer to enter into a service contract for services from a telemarketing target by postal mail or a similar means as the result of an act of telemarketing, or when a seller or a service provider enters into a sales contract for goods or specified rights or a service contract for services with a telemarketing target by postal mail or a similar means as a result of an act of telemarketing, the person who made the offer or the purchaser or the service recipient (hereinafter referred to as the "offerer or purchaser" in this Article through Article 24-3) may withdraw the offer to enter into the sales contract or the service contract or cancel the sales contract or the service contract (hereinafter referred to as "withdrawal of an offer or cancellation" of a contract in this Article) in writing or by using electronic or magnetic records; provided, however, that this does not apply once eight days have passed after the date on which the offerer or purchaser received the document referred to in Article 19, paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) (or after the date on which the offerer or purchaser received the document referred to in Article 18, paragraph (1), if the offerer or purchaser received the document under Article 18 at an earlier date than that on which the offerer or purchaser received the document referred to in Article 19, paragraph (1) or paragraph (2)) (if the offerer or purchaser did not withdraw the offer or cancel the contract by that time limit because the offerer or purchaser was under the misconception that information about the withdrawal of an offer or cancellation of a contract that the seller or the service provider had misrepresented to the offerer or purchaser, in violation of the provisions of Article 21, paragraph (1), was true, or because the offerer or purchaser was overwhelmed due to the seller's or service provider's use of intimidation, in violation of the provisions of paragraph (3) of that Article, when eight days have passed after the date on which the offerer or purchaser received a document delivered to them by the seller or the service provider pursuant to the provisions of order of the competent ministry that contains a notice to the effect that the offerer or purchaser may withdraw the offer or cancel the sales contract or the service contract).

②A withdrawal of an offer or cancellation of a contract takes effect at the time the withdrawal of the offer or cancellation of the contract is stated in writing or through notification of electronic or magnetic records.

③If a person withdraws an offer or cancels a contract, the seller or the service provider may not claim damages nor demand the payment of any penalty in connection with the withdrawal of the offer or cancellation of the contract.

④If a person withdraws an offer or cancels a contract, the seller bears the costs required for taking back or returning any goods already delivered or any rights already transferred under the sales contract.

⑤If a person withdraws an offer or cancels a sales contract for goods or specified rights or a service contract, the seller or the service provider may not demand that the offerer or purchaser pay money equal to any benefit gained through the use of the goods or through the exercise of the rights, nor may the seller or the service provider demand that the offerer or purchaser pay consideration or any other money for services under the service contract, even if the goods delivered based on the sales contract have already been used or the rights have already been exercised, or even if services have already been provided based on the service contract.

⑥If a person withdraws an offer or cancels a service contract, the service provider must promptly return any money the service provider has received in association with the service contract to the offerer or purchaser.

⑦If the offerer or purchaser to a service contract or a sales contract for specified rights has withdrawn the offer or canceled the service contract or sales contract, and the existing state of the offerer or purchaser's land, building, or any other structure was changed in line with services that were to be provided in connection with the service contract or the specified rights, the offerer or purchaser may demand that the service provider or the seller of the specified rights take the necessary measures to restore it to its original state at no charge.

⑧Any special provisions of a contract that run counter to the provisions of the preceding paragraphs and that are disadvantageous to the offerer or purchaser are invalid.

①An offerer or purchaser may withdraw an offer to enter into a sales contract or a service contract that falls under the category of any of the following contracts, or may cancel the sales contract or a service contract (hereinafter referred to as "withdrawal of an offer or cancellation" of a contract in this Article); provided, however, that this does not apply when there are special circumstances that make it necessary for the offerer or purchaser to enter into the contract:

②An offerer or purchaser must exercise the right under the provisions of the preceding paragraph within one year from the time of entry into the sales contract or service contract.

③The provisions of paragraphs (3) through (8) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to the withdrawal of an offer or cancellation of a contract under the provisions of paragraph (1). In this case, the term "the preceding paragraphs" in paragraph (8) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "paragraphs (1) and (2) of the following Article and paragraphs (3) through (8) as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to paragraph (3) of that Article".

①If an offerer or purchaser was under a misconception specified in one of the following items as a result of the seller or the service provider having engaged in the conduct listed in that item in soliciting a person to enter into a sales contract or a service contract connected with a telemarketing sale, because of which the offerer or purchaser manifested the intention to offer to enter into or accept a sales contract or a service contract, the offerer or purchaser may retract the manifestation of that intention to offer to enter into or accept the contract:

②The provisions of Article 9-3, paragraphs (2) through (5) apply mutatis mutandis to a retraction, under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, of the manifestation of an intention to offer to enter into or accept a sales contract or a service contract connected with a telemarketing sale.

①If a seller or a service provider has entered into a sales contract or a service contract falling under any of the items in Article 19, paragraph (1), and the sales contract or the service contract is canceled, the seller or the service provider may not demand that the purchaser or the service recipient pay an amount of money that exceeds the aggregate of the amount specified in the relevant items among the following items for the cases listed in them and the amount of the relevant damages for delay based on the statutory interest rate, even if there is a provision for liquidated damages or a provision for a penalty:

②If a seller or a service provider has entered into a sales contract or a service contract falling under any of the items in Article 19, paragraph (1), and the obligation to pay the charges under the sales contract or the consideration under the service contract is not performed in whole or in part (except if the sales contract or the service contract has been canceled), the seller or the service provider may not demand that the purchaser or the service recipient pay an amount of money that exceeds the aggregate of the amount equal to the sales price of the goods or rights or the consideration for the services less the already-paid amount of the charges for the goods or rights or the consideration for the services plus the amount of any damages for delay based on the statutory interest rate, even if there is a provision for liquidated damages or a provision for a penalty.

①The provisions of the preceding three Sections do not apply to the following sales or provision of services that fall under the category of door-to-door sales, mail order sales, or telemarketing sales:

②The provisions of Articles 9 through 9-3, 15-3, 15-4, and 24 through 24-3 do not apply to a sale of specified rights that falls under the category of a door-to-door sale, mail order sale, or telemarketing sale that has been undertaken as a subscription for shares or for contributions, or as a contribution of funds, which pursuant to the Companies Act (Act No. 86 of 2005) or any other Act, cannot be retracted on grounds of fraud or duress.

③The provisions of Articles 4, 5, 9, 18, 19, and 24 do not apply if the whole or a part of providing services that is specified by Cabinet Order as being normally undertaken in whole immediately after the parties enter into a contract, and which falls under the category of a door-to-door sale or telemarketing sale, has been undertaken immediately after the parties enter into the contract (limited to the cases specified by order of the competent ministry).

④The provisions of Articles 9 and 24 do not apply to the following sales or provision of services falling under the category of a door-to-door sale or telemarketing sale:

⑤The provisions of Articles 9 and 24 do not apply to a sale or providing a service that falls under the category of a door-to-door sale or telemarketing sale if any of the following applies:

⑥The provisions of Articles 4 through 10 do not apply to the following door-to-door sales:

⑦The provisions of Articles 18, 19, and 21 through 25 do not apply to the following telemarketing sales:

⑧The provisions of Article 10 and the preceding Article do not apply to installment sales (meaning installment sales as prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (1) of the Installment Sales Act (Act No. 159 of 1961); the same applies hereinafter) that fall under the category of door-to-door sales or telemarketing sales.

⑨The provisions of Articles 11 and 13 do not apply to installment sales, etc. (meaning installment sales, loan-backed sales as prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (2) of the Installment Sales Act, intermediation of comprehensive credit purchases as prescribed in paragraph (3) of that Article, or intermediation of individual credit purchases as prescribed in paragraph (4) of that Article; the same applies in the following paragraph) that fall under the category of mail order sales.

⑩The provisions of Article 20 do not apply to installment sales, etc. that fall under the category of telemarketing sales.

①A general incorporated association that includes the characters "訪問販売協会" (pronounced "houmon-hanbai-kyoukai", meaning "door-to-door sales association" in its name may be established, provided that its articles of incorporation contain provisions to the effect that it will ensure the fairness of transactions connected with door-to-door sales, protect the interests of the purchasers or the service recipients, contribute to the sound development of the door-to-door sales business, and have as its members persons who engage in door-to-door sales as a business.

②The provisions of the articles of incorporation prescribed in the preceding paragraph may not be changed.

①A general incorporated association stated in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article (hereinafter referred to as a "door-to-door sales association") must provide in its articles of incorporation to the effect that it may refuse admission to any party that has been ordered to suspend its business activities that are connected with door-to-door sales in whole or in part pursuant to the provisions of Article 8, paragraph (1), or to any party that has been expelled by a door-to-door sales association pursuant to the provisions of the articles of incorporation prescribed in Article 29-3.

②A door-to-door sales association must make the directory of its members available for public inspection.

①When a door-to-door sales association has been established, a notification to that effect must be submitted to the competent minister with a certificate of registered information and a copy of its articles of incorporation attached to it, within two weeks from the day of its establishment.

②When a notification under the provisions of the preceding paragraph is submitted, the competent minister must issue a public notice to that effect.

①If there has been a change involving a door-to-door sales association's name, address, articles of incorporation, or any other information specified by order of the competent ministry, a notification to that effect must be submitted to the competent minister within two weeks from the day on which the change occurred.

②The provisions of paragraph (2) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to a notification under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

①A person that is not a door-to-door sales association must not use a character in its name or trade name that could cause it to be mistaken for a door-to-door sales association.

②A person that is not a member of a door-to-door sales association must not use a character in its name or trade name that could cause it to be mistaken for a door-to-door sales association member.

①When a door-to-door sales association is requested by a purchaser, a service recipient, or other relevant person to help settle a complaint about business activities for door-to-door sales in which a member is engaging, it must hold consultations, provide the necessary advice to the requester, and in addition to investigating the circumstances surrounding the complaint, the association must notify the member of the details of the complaint and request that it be processed promptly.

②When a door-to-door sales association finds it necessary for settling a complaint connected with a request under the preceding paragraph, it may ask for a written or oral explanation or for the submission of materials from the member.

③A member must not refuse what a door-to-door sales association has asked it to do under the provisions of the preceding paragraph without reasonable grounds.

④A door-to-door sales association must fully inform its members about any request under paragraph (1), the circumstances involved in the complaint, and the result of the settlement of the complaint.

①If a person has canceled a sales contract or a service contract connected with the business activities in door-to-door sales in which a member is engaged, pursuant to the provisions of this Act, or the person has retracted a manifestation of the intention to offer to enter into or accept a sales contract or a service contract connected with the business activities in door-to-door sales in which a member is engaged, pursuant to the provisions of this Act, and if the member has refused the person's request for the refund of the money that the person paid to the member, a door-to-door sales association must carry out business activities for delivering a fixed amount of money to the person that has requested the refund of the money.

②A door-to-door sales association is to set up a fund for the business activities stated in the preceding paragraph, and is to allocate to the fund the total amount of money contributed by its members on the condition of its allocation to the expenses required for the business activities.

③A door-to-door sales association must specify the means by which it will implement the business activities stated in paragraph (1) in its articles of incorporation.

④Once a door-to-door sales association has specified the means by which it will implement its business activities pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, it must issue a public announcement of those means. The same applies if the door-to-door sales association has changed those means.

A door-to-door sales association must state in its articles of incorporation that if a member engages in conduct violating the provisions of this Act or a disposition based on the provisions of this Act, it will impose a monetary penalty on the member, order the member's rights as provided in the articles of incorporation to be suspended or restricted, or expel the member.

The competent minister must provide the necessary information and materials or offer the necessary guidance and advice concerning the implementation of the business activities prescribed in Articles 29 and 29-2 to a door-to-door sales association.

①The business activities of a door-to-door sales association are subject to the supervision of the competent minister.

②If the competent minister finds that it is necessary to do so in order to ensure the proper implementation of business activities, to the extent necessary for enforcing the provisions of this Act, the minister may examine a door-to-door sales association's business activities or financial status or order a door-to-door sales association to take any measures necessary for the improvement of them.

③Having issued the order stated in the preceding paragraph, upon finding that it is particularly necessary to do so in order to protect the interests of purchasers or service recipients, the competent minister may issue a public announcement to the effect that the order has been issued.

①A general incorporated association that includes the characters "通信販売協会" (pronounced "tsushin-hanbai kyoukai" and meaning "mail order sales association") in its name may be established, but only if its articles of incorporation contain provisions to the effect that it will ensure the fairness of transactions connected with mail order sales, protect the interests of the purchasers or the service recipients, contribute to the sound development of the mail order sales business, and have as its members persons engaged in mail order sales as a business.

②The provisions of the articles of incorporation prescribed in the preceding paragraph may not be changed.

①When a general incorporated association stated in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article (hereinafter referred to as a "mail order sales association") is established, a notification to that effect must be submitted to the competent minister with a certificate of registered information and a copy of its articles of incorporation attached to it, within two weeks from the day of its establishment.

②When a notification under the provisions of the preceding paragraph is submitted, the competent minister must issue a public notice to that effect.

①If there has been a change involving a mail order sales association's name, address, articles of incorporation, or any other information specified by order of the competent ministry, a notification to that effect must be submitted to the competent minister within two weeks from the day on which the change occurred.

②The provisions of paragraph (2) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to a notification under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

①A person that is not a mail order sales association must not use a character in its name or trade name that could cause it to be mistaken for a mail order sales association.

②A person that is not a member of a mail order sales association must not use a character in its name or trade name that could cause it to be mistaken for a mail order sales association member.

①When a mail order sales association is requested by a purchaser, a service recipient, or any other relevant person to help settle a complaint about business activities for mail order sales in which a member is engaging, it must hold consultations, provide the necessary advice to the requester, and investigate the circumstances surrounding the complaint, and also notify the member of the details of the complaint and ask that it be processed promptly.

②When a mail order sales association finds it necessary for settling a complaint connected with a request under the preceding paragraph, it may ask for a written or oral explanation or for the submission of materials from the member.

③A member must not refuse what a mail order sales association has asked for under the provisions of the preceding paragraph without reasonable grounds.

④A mail order sales association must fully inform its members about any request under paragraph (1), the circumstances involved in the complaint, and the result of settlement of the complaint.

①The business activities of a mail order sales association are subject to the supervision of the competent minister.

②On finding that it is necessary to do so in order to ensure the proper implementation of the business activities stated in the preceding Article, at any time, the competent minister may examine a mail order sales association's business activities or financial status, or issue a mail order sales association any order that is necessary from a supervisory perspective, with regard to its business activities.

③Having issued an order as stated in the preceding paragraph, and on finding it particularly necessary for protecting the interests of purchasers or service recipients, the competent minister may issue a public announcement to the effect that the order has been issued.