Section 1 General Provisions
第一節 総則
第二十五条
A stock company may be incorporated by either of the following methods:
株式会社は、次に掲げるいずれかの方法により設立することができる。
the method by which incorporator subscribe for all shares issued at incorporation (meaning the shares which are issued at incorporation of a stock company; the same applies hereinafter) pursuant to the provisions of the following Section through Section 8; or
次節から第八節までに規定するところにより、発起人が設立時発行株式（株式会社の設立に際して発行する株式をいう。以下同じ。）の全部を引き受ける方法
the method by which, in addition to the subscription by incorporator for the shares issued at incorporation, person who will subscribe for the shares issued at incorporation is solicited pursuant to the provisions of the following Section, Section 3, Article 39 and Section 6 through Section 9.
Each incorporator must subscribe for one or more shares issued at incorporation in the incorporation of a stock company.
各発起人は、株式会社の設立に際し、設立時発行株式を一株以上引き受けなければならない。
Section 2 Preparation of Articles of Incorporation
第二節 定款の作成
In order to incorporate a stock company, incorporator must prepare articles of incorporation, and all incorporators must sign or affix the name and seal to it.
株式会社を設立するには、発起人が定款を作成し、その全員がこれに署名し、又は記名押印しなければならない。
Articles of incorporation referred to in the preceding paragraph may be prepared in the form of an electronic or magnetic record (meaning a record that Ministry of Justice Order prescribes as being used in computerized information processing and created in electronic form, magnetic form, or any other form that cannot be perceived by the human senses; the same applies hereinafter). In these cases, actions prescribed by Ministry of Justice Order must be taken in lieu of the signing or the affixing of the names and seals, with respect to the data recorded in such an electronic or magnetic record.
前項の定款は、電磁的記録（電子的方式、磁気的方式その他人の知覚によっては認識することができない方式で作られる記録であって、電子計算機による情報処理の用に供されるものとして法務省令で定めるものをいう。以下同じ。）をもって作成することができる。この場合において、当該電磁的記録に記録された情報については、法務省令で定める署名又は記名押印に代わる措置をとらなければならない。
Articles of incorporation of a stock company must specify or record the following matters:
株式会社の定款には、次に掲げる事項を記載し、又は記録しなければならない。
purpose;
目的
trade name;
商号
location of the head office;
本店の所在地
value of property to be contributed at the incorporation or the lower limit thereof;
設立に際して出資される財産の価額又はその最低額
name and address of the incorporator.
発起人の氏名又は名称及び住所
第二十八条
If a stock company is to be incorporated, the following matters do not become effective unless they are specified or recorded in the articles of incorporation referred to in Article 26, paragraph (1):
株式会社を設立する場合には、次に掲げる事項は、第二十六条第一項の定款に記載し、又は記録しなければ、その効力を生じない。
name of person who contribute by any property other than money, the description of relevant property and the value thereof, and the number of the shares issued at incorporation that are to be allotted to that person (if the stock company to be incorporated is a company with class shares, referring to the class and the number of each class of the shares issued at incorporation; the same applies in Article 32, paragraph (1), item (i));
金銭以外の財産を出資する者の氏名又は名称、当該財産及びその価額並びにその者に対して割り当てる設立時発行株式の数（設立しようとする株式会社が種類株式発行会社である場合にあっては、設立時発行株式の種類及び種類ごとの数。第三十二条第一項第一号において同じ。）
property that is agreed to be transferred to the stock company after the formation thereof, the value thereof, and the name of the transferor;
株式会社の成立後に譲り受けることを約した財産及びその価額並びにその譲渡人の氏名又は名称
compensation or other special benefit which the incorporator is to obtain by the formation of the stock company, and the name of that incorporator; and
株式会社の成立により発起人が受ける報酬その他の特別の利益及びその発起人の氏名又は名称
expenses regarding the incorporation that are borne by the stock company (excluding the fees for the certification of the articles of incorporation, and other expenses which are prescribed by Ministry of Justice Order as expenses that are unlikely to cause harm to the stock company).
株式会社の負担する設立に関する費用（定款の認証の手数料その他株式会社に損害を与えるおそれがないものとして法務省令で定めるものを除く。）
第二十九条
Beyond the matters set forth in each item of Article 27 and each item of the preceding Article, articles of incorporation of a stock company may specify or record the matters which, pursuant to the provisions of this Act, may not become effective unless provided for in the articles of incorporation, or other matters which do not violate any provisions of this Act.
Articles of incorporation referred to in Article 26, paragraph (1) do not become effective unless they are certified by a notary public.
第二十六条第一項の定款は、公証人の認証を受けなければ、その効力を生じない。
Articles of incorporation that are certified by a notary public pursuant to the preceding paragraph may not be amended before the formation of the stock company except when they are amended under the provisions of Article 33, paragraph (7) or (9), or Article 37, paragraph (1) or (2).
Article 31Keeping and Inspection of Articles of Incorporation
第三十一条（定款の備置き及び閲覧等）
The incorporator (or the stock company after the formation of relevant stock company) must keep articles of incorporation at the place designated by the incorporator (or at the head office or branch office of the stock company after the formation of that stock company).
発起人（株式会社の成立後にあっては、当該株式会社）は、定款を発起人が定めた場所（株式会社の成立後にあっては、その本店及び支店）に備え置かなければならない。
The incorporator (or, after the formation of that stock company, the shareholder and creditor of that stock company) may submit the following request at any time during the hours designated by the incorporator (or, after the formation of the stock company, during the business hours of relevant stock company); provided, however, that the fees designated by the incorporator (or, after the formation of the stock company, relevant stock company) are required to be paid in order to submit the requests set forth in item (ii) or item (iv):
if articles of incorporation are prepared in writing, a request to inspect it;
定款が書面をもって作成されているときは、当該書面の閲覧の請求
a request for a transcript or extract of the articles of incorporation referred to in the preceding item;
前号の書面の謄本又は抄本の交付の請求
if articles of incorporation have been prepared as an electronic or magnetic record, a request to inspect anything that is used in a manner prescribed by Ministry of Justice Order to display the information recorded in that electronic or magnetic record; or
定款が電磁的記録をもって作成されているときは、当該電磁的記録に記録された事項を法務省令で定める方法により表示したものの閲覧の請求
a request to be provided with the information recorded in the electronic or magnetic record referred to in the preceding item by an electronic or magnetic means that the incorporators have designated (or, after the formation of the stock company, relevant stock company), or a request to be issued a document showing that information.
After the formation of a stock company, if it is necessary for the purpose of exercising the rights of a member of the parent company (meaning the shareholders and other members of the parent companies; the same applies hereinafter) of relevant stock company, the relevant member of the parent company may, with the permission of the court, make the requests set forth in each item of the preceding paragraph with respect to the articles of incorporation of relevant stock company; provided, however, that, in order to make the requests set forth in item (ii) or item (iv) of that paragraph, the fees designated by relevant stock company is required to be paid.
If articles of incorporation are prepared as an electronic or magnetic record, for the purpose of the application of the provisions of paragraph (1) with respect to a stock company which adopts the measures prescribed by Ministry of Justice Order as the measures that enable its branch offices to respond to the request set forth in paragraph (2), item (iii) and item (iv), the phrase "head office and branch office" in paragraph (1) is deemed to be replaced with "head office".
Section 3 Contributions
第三節 出資
Article 32Determination of Matters Regarding Shares Issued at Incorporation
第三十二条（設立時発行株式に関する事項の決定）
When incorporator determine the following matters at the incorporation of the stock company (excluding matters provided for in the articles of incorporation), the incorporator must obtain the consent of all incorporators:
発起人は、株式会社の設立に際して次に掲げる事項（定款に定めがある事項を除く。）を定めようとするときは、その全員の同意を得なければならない。
the number of the shares issued at incorporation that is to be allotted to each incorporator;
発起人が割当てを受ける設立時発行株式の数
the amount of money to be paid in exchange for the shares issued at incorporation set forth in the preceding item; and
matters regarding the amount of the stated capital and capital reserves of the stock company after the formation.
成立後の株式会社の資本金及び資本準備金の額に関する事項
If the stock company to be incorporated is a company with class shares, if the shares issued at incorporation referred to in item (i) of the preceding paragraph are those which are provided for in the articles of incorporation under the provisions of the first sentence of Article 108, paragraph (3), the incorporator must, with the consent of all incorporators, determine the features of relevant shares issued at incorporation.
第三十三条（定款の記載又は記録事項に関する検査役の選任）
If articles of incorporation specify or record the matters set forth in each item of Article 28, the incorporator must, without delay after the certification by the notary public under Article 30, paragraph (1), file a petition for the appointment of an inspector with the court in order to have the inspector investigate relevant matters.
If the petition referred to in the preceding paragraph has been filed, the court must appoint the inspector except in case it dismisses the petition as non-conforming.
前項の申立てがあった場合には、裁判所は、これを不適法として却下する場合を除き、検査役を選任しなければならない。
If the court has appointed the inspector referred to in the preceding paragraph, it may fix the amount of the remuneration that the stock company after the formation pays to relevant inspector.
裁判所は、前項の検査役を選任した場合には、成立後の株式会社が当該検査役に対して支払う報酬の額を定めることができる。
The inspector referred to in paragraph (2) must conduct the necessary investigation and submit a report to the court by providing it with a document detailing the results of the investigation or with an electronic or magnetic record (limited to one as prescribed by Ministry of Justice Order) in which these have been recorded.
If the court finds it necessary for the purpose of clarification of the contents of the report referred to in the preceding paragraph or of confirmation of the grounds supporting that report, it may request the inspector stated in paragraph (2) a further report stated in the preceding paragraph.
When the inspector referred to in paragraph (2) reports pursuant to paragraph (4), the inspector must deliver a copy of the document referred to in that paragraph to the incorporators or use a means prescribed by Ministry of Justice Order to provide them with the information recorded in the electronic or magnetic record referred to in that paragraph.
If the court receives a report under paragraph (4), if it finds the provisions in articles of incorporation relating to matters set forth in each item of Article 28 (excluding any matters not subjected to the investigation by the inspector under paragraph (2)) to be improper, it must make a ruling amending the same.
If some or all of the provisions in articles of incorporation relating to matters set forth in each item of Article 28 are amended by a ruling stated in the preceding paragraph, the incorporator may rescind the manifestation of intention relating to subscription for the relevant shares issued at incorporation within one week from the finalization of relevant ruling.
In the cases prescribed in the preceding paragraph, the incorporator may, with the consent of all incorporators, amend articles of incorporation repealing the provisions which have been amended by relevant ruling, within one week from the finalization of the ruling referred to in paragraph (7).
The provisions of the preceding nine paragraphs do not apply to the matters prescribed in following items:
前各項の規定は、次の各号に掲げる場合には、当該各号に定める事項については、適用しない。
if the total value specified or recorded in the articles of incorporation with respect to the property under Article 28, item (i) and item (ii) (hereinafter in this Chapter referred to as "property contributed in kind") does not exceed 5,000,000 yen:matters set forth in item (i) and item (ii) of that Article;
if the value specified or recorded in the articles of incorporation with respect to property contributed in kind that constitutes securities (meaning the securities provided for in Article 2, paragraph (1) of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (Act No. 25 of 1948), including rights deemed to be securities pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (2) of that Article; the same applies hereinafter) with a market price does not exceed the value calculated by the method prescribed by Ministry of Justice Order as the market price of relevant securities:matters set forth in Article 28, item (i) and item (ii) with respect to the securities;
if the verification of an attorney, a legal professional corporation, an attorney and registered foreign lawyer joint corporation, a certified public accountant (including a foreign certified public accountant as defined in Article 16-2, paragraph (5) of the Certified Public Accountant Act (Act No. 103 of 1948); the same applies hereinafter), an audit corporation, a certified public tax accountant or a tax accountancy corporation (if the property contributed in kind consist of any real estate, referring to relevant verification and appraisal by a real estate appraiser; hereinafter the same applies in this item) is obtained with respect to the reasonableness of the value specified or recorded in the articles of incorporation with respect to the property contributed in kind:matters set forth in Article 28, item (i) or item (ii) (limited to those relating to the property contributed in kind for which verification has been obtained).
None of the following persons may provide the verification prescribed in item (iii) of the preceding paragraph:
次に掲げる者は、前項第三号に規定する証明をすることができない。
an incorporator;
発起人
a transferor of property under Article 28, item (ii);
第二十八条第二号の財産の譲渡人
a director at incorporation (referring to a director at incorporation prescribed in Article 38, paragraph (1)) or a company auditor at incorporation (referring to a company auditor at incorporation prescribed for in paragraph (3), item (ii) of that Article);
a person who is subject to the disciplinary action ordering a suspension of operations and for whom the period of that suspension has not yet elapsed; or
業務の停止の処分を受け、その停止の期間を経過しない者
a legal professional company, a lawyer and registered foreign lawyer joint corporation, an audit corporation or a tax accountancy corporation more than half of whose members are any of the persons who fall under items (i) through (iii) above.
弁護士法人、弁護士・外国法事務弁護士共同法人、監査法人又は税理士法人であって、その社員の半数以上が第一号から第三号までに掲げる者のいずれかに該当するもの