# Damages (損害賠償, そんがいばいしょう)

This is the Markdown twin of https://japanlaw.org/en/concepts/damages. Every law, and how to address a provision: https://japanlaw.org/llms.txt. The same laws as MCP tools (no sign-in): https://japanlaw.org/mcp.

- Group: Rights, roles and legal effects
- URL: https://japanlaw.org/en/concepts/damages
- In Japanese: https://japanlaw.org/ja/concepts/damages
- Written by: claude-opus-5-5, 2026-09-23

Compensation for loss one person has caused another. A debtor who does not perform an obligation as it should be performed, or cannot perform it, must compensate the creditor for the loss that results, unless the failure comes from a cause the debtor is not responsible for, judged by the contract or other source of the obligation and by accepted views in dealings (Civil Code, Article 415, paragraph (1)); and a person who, intentionally or negligently, infringes another's rights or legally protected interests must compensate for the loss that results (Article 709). It is paid in money unless otherwise agreed (Articles 417 and 722, paragraph (1)), and the parties to a contract may agree in advance the amount due if it is not performed; a sum fixed for breach (違約金) is presumed to be such an agreement (Article 420, paragraphs (1) and (3)). The Consumer Contract Act makes void the part of such an amount in a consumer contract, for its cancellation, with any penalty added, above the average loss the business would suffer from the cancellation of consumer contracts of that kind, measured separately for each category the clause sets, such as the reason for and time of cancellation (Consumer Contract Act, Article 9, paragraph (1), item (i)).

Written for this site by an AI model from the provisions and pages it cites. Each sentence was checked against them by a separate AI model run and revised to its findings. Not reviewed by a lawyer.

## Provisions and sources it draws on

- [Civil Code, Arts. 415, 417, 420, 709, 722](https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/129AC0000000089) — on this site: https://japanlaw.org/en/civil-code
- [Consumer Contract Act, Art. 9](https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/412AC0000000061) — on this site: https://japanlaw.org/en/consumer-contract-act

## Where the laws use it

25 laws in force use it in this sense, in 155 provisions; there the word opens this explanation.

- [Civil Code (民法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/civil-code): 43 provisions, among them [Article 117](https://japanlaw.org/en/civil-code/art-117), [Article 167](https://japanlaw.org/en/civil-code/art-167), [Article 199](https://japanlaw.org/en/civil-code/art-199)
- [Act on Securing Compensation for Automobile Accidents (自動車損害賠償保障法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/automobile-accident-compensation-act): 16 provisions, among them [Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/automobile-accident-compensation-act/art-1), [Article 4](https://japanlaw.org/en/automobile-accident-compensation-act/art-4), [Article 11](https://japanlaw.org/en/automobile-accident-compensation-act/art-11)
- [Local Tax Act (地方税法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/local-tax-act): 12 provisions, among them [Article 19-10](https://japanlaw.org/en/local-tax-act/art-19-10), [Article 32](https://japanlaw.org/en/local-tax-act/art-32), [Article 33](https://japanlaw.org/en/local-tax-act/art-33)
- [Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (特定商取引に関する法律)](https://japanlaw.org/en/specified-commercial-transactions-act): 12 provisions, among them [Article 9](https://japanlaw.org/en/specified-commercial-transactions-act/art-9), [Article 10](https://japanlaw.org/en/specified-commercial-transactions-act/art-10), [Article 24](https://japanlaw.org/en/specified-commercial-transactions-act/art-24)
- [Income Tax Act (所得税法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/income-tax-act): 10 provisions, among them [Article 9](https://japanlaw.org/en/income-tax-act/art-9), [Article 45](https://japanlaw.org/en/income-tax-act/art-45), [Article 51](https://japanlaw.org/en/income-tax-act/art-51)
- [Code of Civil Procedure (民事訴訟法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/code-of-civil-procedure): 7 provisions, among them [Article 3-3](https://japanlaw.org/en/code-of-civil-procedure/art-3-3), [Article 5](https://japanlaw.org/en/code-of-civil-procedure/art-5), [Article 9](https://japanlaw.org/en/code-of-civil-procedure/art-9)
- [Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (金融商品取引法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/financial-instruments-and-exchange-act): 7 provisions, among them [Article 18](https://japanlaw.org/en/financial-instruments-and-exchange-act/art-18), [Article 19](https://japanlaw.org/en/financial-instruments-and-exchange-act/art-19), [Article 27-12](https://japanlaw.org/en/financial-instruments-and-exchange-act/art-27-12)
- [Banking Act (銀行法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/banking-act): 6 provisions, among them [Article 7-3](https://japanlaw.org/en/banking-act/art-7-3), [Article 52-45-2](https://japanlaw.org/en/banking-act/art-52-45-2), [Article 52-59](https://japanlaw.org/en/banking-act/art-52-59)
- [Bankruptcy Act (破産法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/bankruptcy-act): 5 provisions, among them [Article 58](https://japanlaw.org/en/bankruptcy-act/art-58), [Article 97](https://japanlaw.org/en/bankruptcy-act/art-97), [Article 177](https://japanlaw.org/en/bankruptcy-act/art-177)
- [National Pension Act (国民年金法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/national-pension-act): 4 provisions, among them [Article 22](https://japanlaw.org/en/national-pension-act/art-22), [Article 36-4](https://japanlaw.org/en/national-pension-act/art-36-4), [Article 125-2](https://japanlaw.org/en/national-pension-act/art-125-2)
- [Real Estate Brokerage Act (宅地建物取引業法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/real-estate-brokerage-act): 4 provisions, among them [Article 35](https://japanlaw.org/en/real-estate-brokerage-act/art-35), [Article 37](https://japanlaw.org/en/real-estate-brokerage-act/art-37), [Article 37-2](https://japanlaw.org/en/real-estate-brokerage-act/art-37-2)
- [Civil Enforcement Act (民事執行法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/civil-enforcement-act): 4 provisions, among them [Article 167-17](https://japanlaw.org/en/civil-enforcement-act/art-167-17), [Article 172](https://japanlaw.org/en/civil-enforcement-act/art-172), [Article 206](https://japanlaw.org/en/civil-enforcement-act/art-206)
- [Companies Act (会社法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/companies-act): 3 provisions, among them [Article 507](https://japanlaw.org/en/companies-act/art-507), [Article 542](https://japanlaw.org/en/companies-act/art-542), [Article 545](https://japanlaw.org/en/companies-act/art-545)
- [Consumer Contract Act (消費者契約法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/consumer-contract-act): 3 provisions, among them [Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/consumer-contract-act/art-1), [Article 9](https://japanlaw.org/en/consumer-contract-act/art-9), [Article 12-4](https://japanlaw.org/en/consumer-contract-act/art-12-4)
- [Long-Term Care Insurance Act (介護保険法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/long-term-care-insurance-act): 2 provisions, among them [Article 21](https://japanlaw.org/en/long-term-care-insurance-act/art-21), [Article 176](https://japanlaw.org/en/long-term-care-insurance-act/art-176)
- [Labor Standards Act (労働基準法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/labor-standards-act): 2 provisions, among them [Article 16](https://japanlaw.org/en/labor-standards-act/art-16), [Article 84](https://japanlaw.org/en/labor-standards-act/art-84)
- [Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act (労働者災害補償保険法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/industrial-accident-insurance-act): 2 provisions, among them [Article 12-4](https://japanlaw.org/en/industrial-accident-insurance-act/art-12-4), [Supplementary Provisions, Article 64](https://japanlaw.org/en/industrial-accident-insurance-act/suppl-3221-50/art-64)
- [State Redress Act (国家賠償法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/state-redress-act): 2 provisions, among them [Article 4](https://japanlaw.org/en/state-redress-act/art-4), [Article 5](https://japanlaw.org/en/state-redress-act/art-5)
- [National Health Insurance Act (国民健康保険法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/national-health-insurance-act): 2 provisions, among them [Article 64](https://japanlaw.org/en/national-health-insurance-act/art-64), [Article 85-3](https://japanlaw.org/en/national-health-insurance-act/art-85-3)
- [Act on Measures against Infringement of Rights, etc. Arising from the Distribution of Information through Specified Telecommunications (特定電気通信による情報の流通によって発生する権利侵害等への対処に関する法律)](https://japanlaw.org/en/information-distribution-platform-act): 2 provisions, among them [Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/information-distribution-platform-act/art-1), [Article 5](https://japanlaw.org/en/information-distribution-platform-act/art-5)
- [Administrative Case Litigation Act (行政事件訴訟法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/administrative-case-litigation-act): 2 provisions, among them [Article 13](https://japanlaw.org/en/administrative-case-litigation-act/art-13), [Article 21](https://japanlaw.org/en/administrative-case-litigation-act/art-21)
- [Act on Assurance of Medical Care for Elderly People (高齢者の医療の確保に関する法律)](https://japanlaw.org/en/elderly-medical-care-act): 2 provisions, among them [Article 58](https://japanlaw.org/en/elderly-medical-care-act/art-58), [Article 155](https://japanlaw.org/en/elderly-medical-care-act/art-155)
- [Health Insurance Act (健康保険法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/health-insurance-act): 1 provision, among them [Article 57](https://japanlaw.org/en/health-insurance-act/art-57)
- [Employees' Pension Insurance Act (厚生年金保険法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/employees-pension-insurance-act): 1 provision, among them [Article 40](https://japanlaw.org/en/employees-pension-insurance-act/art-40)
- [Act on General Rules for Application of Laws (法の適用に関する通則法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/application-of-laws-act): 1 provision, among them [Article 22](https://japanlaw.org/en/application-of-laws-act/art-22)

## Related

- [Act (法律, ほうりつ)](https://japanlaw.org/en/concepts/act)
- [Void (無効, むこう)](https://japanlaw.org/en/concepts/void)
- [Cancellation (解除, かいじょ)](https://japanlaw.org/en/concepts/cancellation)

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## Sources

- Explanation: Written for this site with AI (claude-opus-5-5, 2026-09-23)
- Where it is used, and how often: Worked out by this site from e-Gov's text
- English names of the laws: Japanese Law Translation, Ministry of Justice (24 records)
- English names of the laws: Written for this site with AI