①The presiding judge directs oral arguments.

②The presiding judge may permit a person to speak or prohibit a person who does not comply with the judge's orders from speaking.

①The presiding judge, on a date for oral arguments or on any other date, may ask questions of a party or call for a party to give proof with regard to a factual or legal matter, in order to clarify a matter that is related to the litigation.

②An associate judge, after notifying the presiding judge, may take the measures prescribed in the preceding paragraph.

③A party may, on a date for oral arguments or on any other date, request the presiding judge to ask any necessary questions.

④If the presiding judge or associate judge takes the measures under the provisions of paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) on a date other than a date for oral arguments with regard to a matter that could materially change the allegations or evidence, the judge must notify the adverse party of the content of those measures.

If a party objects to an order issued by the presiding judge in connection with the control of oral arguments or objects to the measures taken by the presiding judge or associate judge under the provisions of paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) of the preceding Article, the court reaches a judicial decision on that objection in the form of a ruling.

①In order to clarify a matter related to litigation, the court may reach any of the following dispositions:

②As provided for by the Rules of the Supreme Court, a person must submit an electronic or magnetic record under the provisions of the preceding paragraph by submitting a recording medium that contains the electronic or magnetic record or by using an electronic data processing system as specified by the Rules of the Supreme Court.

③The provisions of Article 132-13 do not apply to a document submitted pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) or to an electronic or magnetic record submitted pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

④Provisions on the examination of evidence apply mutatis mutandis to the inspection of evidence, expert testimony, and the commissioning of investigations under paragraph (1).

①The court may order the restriction, separation, or consolidation of oral arguments, or set aside such an order.

②If the court has ordered the consolidation of oral arguments for cases involving different parties and a party requests the examination of a witness who has already been examined before the consolidation but whom the party had no chance to examine, that examination must be carried out.

The court may order the resumption of oral arguments that have been concluded.

①If a person participating in oral arguments is unable to communicate in Japanese or is unable to hear or speak, arrangements are made for an interpreter to be present at oral arguments; provided, however, that it is permissible to question a person who is unable to hear or speak in writing, or to have them enter a statement in writing.

②If the court finds it to be appropriate, after hearing the opinions of the parties and as provided by the Rules of the Supreme Court, the court may have an interpreter interpret while using a means that enables the court and both parties to communicate with the interpreter through audio and visual transmissions while gaining an awareness of one another' situation . This being the case, if there are circumstances that make it difficult to have recourse to those means, a means may be used that enables the court and both parties to communicate with the interpreter at the same time through audio transmissions.

③The provisions on experts apply mutatis mutandis to interpreters.

①The court may prohibit a party, agent, or assistant in court who is unable to enter the necessary statement for clarifying a matter related to the litigation, from entering a statement, and specify a new date for continuing oral arguments.

②If the court has prohibited a person from entering a statement pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the court may order the person to be accompanied by an attorney at law, when it finds this to be necessary.

Allegations and evidence must be presented at an appropriate time, in accordance with the status of progress in the litigation.

If the presiding judge finds it to be necessary for the progress of litigation proceedings based on a plan for trial as referred to in Article 147-3, paragraph (1), the presiding judge may specify a time frame for presenting allegations and evidence on a specific matter, after hearing the opinions of the parties.

①If the court finds that the allegations or evidence that a party has presented, whether intentionally or through gross negligence, after the time for presenting them will delay the conclusion of litigation, it may rule to deny them, upon petition or sua sponte.

②The provisions of the preceding paragraph also apply if a party does not give the necessary explanation with regard to allegations or evidence whose import is unclear, or does not appear on the date for giving an explanation.

If a time frame for presenting allegations and evidence on a specific matter is specified pursuant to the provisions of Article 147-3, paragraph (3) or Article 156-2 (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 170, paragraph (5)), and the court, with regard to allegations or evidence that a party has presented after the expiration of that time frame, finds that those allegations or evidence would be likely to substantially interfere with the progress of litigation proceedings based on the plan for trial, the court may rule to deny them upon petition or sua sponte; provided, however, that this does not apply if the party has made a prima facie showing of reasonable grounds for the party having been unable to present the allegations or evidence within that time frame.

If a plaintiff or defendant does not appear on the first date for oral arguments or appears on that date but does not present any oral arguments on the merits, the court may deem the plaintiff or defendant to have stated the particulars detailed in the complaint or written answer or any other brief that party has submitted, and have the adverse party who has appeared on that date present oral arguments.

①If a party, during oral arguments, does not make it clear that they deny a fact alleged by the adverse party, they are deemed to have admitted that fact; provided, however, that this does not apply if it should be found, based on the entire import of oral arguments, that the party has denied that fact.

②A person offering a statement indicating that they have no knowledge of a fact alleged by the adverse party is presumed to have denied that fact.

③The provisions of paragraph (1) apply mutatis mutandis if a party does not appear on a date for oral arguments; provided, however, that this does not apply if the party is summoned through service by publication.

①For each court date for oral arguments, the court clerk must prepare an electronic record (meaning an electronic or magnetic record that a court clerk prepares pursuant to the provisions of this Act or any other laws and regulations for the purpose of recording or authenticating the form, content, progress, etc. of proceedings conducted on a court date or outside of a court date; the same applies below), as provided for by the Rules of the Supreme Court.

②When a court clerk prepares an electronic record pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, they must record it in the court's computer files as provided for by the Rules of the Supreme Court.

③If a party or any other person concerned raised any objection to the content of the electronic record recorded in the court's computer files pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, measures must be taken to make it clear that there has been an objection, as provided for by the Rules of the Supreme Court.

④Observance of provisions concerning the formalities of oral arguments may be proven only through the electronic record recorded in the court's computer files pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (2); provided, however, that this does not apply in the event of the loss of the electronic record.

①If there is a miscalculation, clerical error, or any other clear error similar to this in an electronic record recorded in the court's computer files pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (2) of the preceding Article, a court clerk may correct it at any time, upon petition or sua sponte.

②A court clerk must take the corrective action under the provisions of the preceding paragraph by recording an indication of this in the court's computer files, as provided for by the Rules of the Supreme Court.

③The provisions of Article 71, paragraphs (4), (5) and (8) apply mutatis mutandis to a corrective action under the provisions of paragraph (1) or a disposition of denial of petition under that paragraph, as well as a petition for objection against these.