Article 4Business License

①A person may not engage in banking unless licensed by the Prime Minister to do so.

③If a person that has persons engaged in banking in a foreign country in accordance with foreign laws and regulations (including a person that has a unique relationship specified by Cabinet Order with the person, but excluding a bank, etc.; hereinafter such a person is referred to as a "foreign bank, etc." in this paragraph) as all or some of their shareholders files a banking license application, and the foreign bank, etc. lawfully holds voting rights in the person filing the banking license application which exceed the number arrived at by multiplying the total shareholder voting rights in that person shareholders by the percentage specified by Cabinet Office Order, in addition to the criteria set forth in each item of the preceding paragraph, the Prime Minister must examine whether banks are found to be treated in substantially the same manner as under this Act in the country where the principal business office of the foreign bank, etc. is located; provided, however, that this does not apply to the case in which the examination would interfere with the faithful fulfillment of an international agreement or in other cases specified by Cabinet Order.

④If the Prime Minister finds it to be necessary in the public interest in light of the examination criteria under the preceding two paragraphs, the Prime Minister may attach conditions to the license referred to in paragraph (1) or change those conditions, to the extent necessary.

⑤The term "bank, etc." as used in paragraph (3) means a bank, a long-term credit bank (meaning a long-term credit bank as defined in Article 2 (Definitions) of the Long-Term Credit Bank Act (Act No. 187 of 1952); the same applies hereinafter), or a financial institution specified by Cabinet Office Order.