A stock company may reduce the amount of its stated capital. In these cases, the following matters must be decided by a resolution at a shareholders meeting:
株式会社は、資本金の額を減少することができる。この場合においては、株主総会の決議によって、次に掲げる事項を定めなければならない。
the amount by which the stated capital is reduced;
減少する資本金の額
if all or part of the amount by which the stated capital is reduced is to be appropriated to reserves, a statement to that effect and the amount to be appropriated to reserves;
減少する資本金の額の全部又は一部を準備金とするときは、その旨及び準備金とする額
the day on which the reduction in the amount of stated capital takes effect.
資本金の額の減少がその効力を生ずる日
The amount under item (i) of the preceding paragraph may not exceed the amount of stated capital as at the day under item (iii) of that paragraph.
If a stock company reduces the amount of stated capital concurrently with a share issue, and the amount of stated capital after the day on which relevant reduction in the amount of stated capital takes effect is not less than the amount of stated capital before relevant day, for the purpose of the application of the provisions of paragraph (1), the phrase "resolution at a shareholders meeting" in that paragraph is deemed to be replaced with "decision of the directors (or, for a company with board of directors, a resolution of the board of directors meeting)".
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(Reductions in Amount of Stated Capital)
A stock company may reduce the amount of its stated capital. In these cases, the following matters must be decided by a resolution at a shareholders meeting:
株式会社は、資本金の額を減少することができる。この場合においては、株主総会の決議によって、次に掲げる事項を定めなければならない。
Open this provision(Reductions in Amount of Stated Capital)
the amount by which the stated capital is reduced;
減少する資本金の額
Open this provision(Reductions in Amount of Stated Capital)
the day on which the reduction in the amount of stated capital takes effect.
資本金の額の減少がその効力を生ずる日
Open this provisioncompany with board of directors
「取締役会設置会社」
A stock company that has a board of directors, or that this Act requires to have one.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (1), item (vii)· applies throughout the law
reserves
「準備金」
Capital reserves and retained earnings reserves taken together: amounts a stock company keeps on its books apart from its capital, including the one tenth of each dividend of surplus it must set aside when it pays one.
Short name set inArticle 445, paragraph (4)
board of directors
取締役会
The body made up of all of a stock company's directors (Companies Act, Article 362, paragraph (1)). It decides how the company's business is carried out, supervises the directors, and appoints and removes the representative directors (代表取締役) (Article 362, paragraphs (2) and (3)) — except in a company with a nominating committee and the other committees (指名委員会等設置会社), where it appoints representative executive officers (代表執行役) instead (Articles 416 and 420). Some decisions, such as disposing of important assets or borrowing a large amount, it normally may not hand to the directors (Article 362, paragraph (4)). A company with an audit and supervisory committee (監査等委員会設置会社) can hand more of them to directors (Article 399-13, paragraphs (5) and (6)), and a company with the committees hands them to executive officers (執行役) rather than directors (Article 416, paragraphs (3) and (4)). A company chooses in its articles of incorporation whether to have one (Article 326, paragraph (2)), but a public company (公開会社), among others, must (Article 327, paragraph (1)): a public company is one whose articles of incorporation let at least some of its shares change hands without the company's approval (Article 2, item (v)). A company with a board must have at least three directors (Article 331, paragraph (5)).
Written by AI using Companies Act, Arts. 2, 326, 327, 331, 362, 399-13, 416, 420 as a reference.
director
取締役
An officer of a stock company, elected by the shareholders meeting (Companies Act, Article 329, paragraph (1)). Every stock company has at least one (Article 326, paragraph (1)). Where there is no board of directors, the directors run the company's business unless the articles of incorporation say otherwise (Article 348, paragraph (1)), and each of them represents it unless the company has chosen representative directors (代表取締役) or others to do that (Article 349, paragraphs (1) and (3)). Where there is a board (取締役会, board of directors), the directors are its members, and the board decides the business and normally chooses the representative directors from among them (Article 362). The term normally runs to the annual shareholders meeting for the last business year ending within two years of election (Article 332, paragraph (1)).
Written by AI using Companies Act, Arts. 326, 329, 332, 348, 349, 362 as a reference.
shareholders meeting
株主総会
The meeting of a stock company's shareholders, and the body through which they decide the company's basic matters. It elects the directors and company auditors (Companies Act, Article 329, paragraph (1)) and changes the articles of incorporation (Article 466). In a company without a board of directors it may decide any matter about the company; in one with a board, only what the Act or the articles of incorporation leave to it (Article 295). An annual shareholders meeting must be called after the end of every business year, and another may be called whenever needed (Article 296). A resolution normally passes by a majority of the votes present, with holders of a majority of the votes entitled to vote attending (Article 309, paragraph (1)).
Written by AI using Companies Act, Arts. 295, 296, 309, 329, 466 as a reference.