# 出入国管理及び難民認定法 / Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act — 第三十一条 (Article 31)

This is the Markdown twin of https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31. 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.

- Law: 出入国管理及び難民認定法 (Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act), 昭和二十六年政令第三百十九号
- English title "Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act": Ministry of Justice translation
- Kind: Act — the distinction between 法律 (Act), 政令 (Cabinet Order), 省令 (Ministerial Order) and 条例 (local ordinance) decides who may issue it and what it may say.
- Issued as a Cabinet Order and given the force of an Act, which is why its number says 政令: Some rules made during the Allied occupation were issued as Cabinet Orders, as orders implementing Japan's acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration, and an Act passed in 1952 gave them the force of an Act. They keep the Cabinet Order number they were issued under, which is why e-Gov lists the law as an Act while its number says 政令 (Cabinet Order). The Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (出入国管理及び難民認定法) is one: it was promulgated in 1951 as the Immigration Control Order (出入国管理令), Cabinet Order No. 319 of 1951, has had the force of an Act under Article 4 of Act No. 126 of 1952, took its present title on 1 January 1982, and every amendment on e-Gov's record of it was made by an Act.
- Provision: 第三十一条 (Article 31)（臨検、捜索又は差押え等） — address `art-31`
- Text in force since: 2026-10-01
- URL (the page that opens at this provision): https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31
- Permanent URL (e-Gov law ID, never renamed): https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31
- Every provision below carries its address and both URLs on the line under it.
- Japanese text: e-Gov 法令検索, Digital Agency (デジタル庁). English: as marked on each line below.

Only the Japanese as published by the government has legal effect; the text
below is a copy of it. Every English rendering below is a translation and
says which kind: the Ministry of Justice's translation, or this
site's machine translation, whose model and date the Sources list names.
They are never merged and never substituted for one another.

---

### 第三十一条（臨検、捜索又は差押え等） — Official Inspection, Search, Seizure, etc.
<sup>caption: machine translation, not official</sup>
<sup>art-31 · https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31</sup>

  **第一項**  入国警備官は、違反調査をするため必要があるときは、その所属官署の所在地を管轄する地方裁判所又は簡易裁判所の裁判官があらかじめ発する許可状により、臨検、捜索、差押え又は記録命令付差押え（電磁的記録を保管する者その他電磁的記録を利用する権限を有する者に命じて必要な電磁的記録を記録媒体に記録させ、又は印刷させた上、当該記録媒体を差し押さえることをいう。以下この節において同じ。）をすることができる。
  <sup>art-31/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-1</sup>
  An immigration control officer may, if it is necessary for conducting an investigation into violations, carry out an official inspection, search, seizure or seizure with a recording order (meaning ordering a person who keeps electronic or magnetic records or any other person who has the authority to use electronic or magnetic records to record the necessary electronic or magnetic records onto a recording medium or print them out, and then seizing the recording medium; the same applies hereinafter in this Section) with a permit issued in advance by a judge of the district court or summary court with jurisdiction over the location of the office to which the officer belongs.
  <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

  **第二項**  差し押さえるべき物件が電子計算機であるときは、当該電子計算機に電気通信回線で接続している記録媒体であつて、当該電子計算機で作成若しくは変更をした電磁的記録又は当該電子計算機で変更若しくは消去をすることができることとされている電磁的記録を保管するために使用されていると認めるに足りる状況にあるものから、その電磁的記録を当該電子計算機又は他の記録媒体に複写した上、当該電子計算機又は当該他の記録媒体を差し押さえることができる。
  <sup>art-31/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-2</sup>
  If the object to be seized is a computer, the electronic or magnetic records may be copied onto the computer or another recording medium from a recording medium which is connected to the computer via a telecommunications line and which, under the circumstances, can be reasonably found to be used to store electronic or magnetic records created or modified using the computer or electronic or magnetic records that are to be modifiable or erasable using the computer, and the computer or the other recording medium may then be seized.
  <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

  **第三項**  前二項の場合において、急速を要するときは、入国警備官は、臨検すべき物件若しくは場所、捜索すべき身体、物件若しくは場所、差し押さえるべき物件又は電磁的記録を記録させ、若しくは印刷させるべき者の所在地を管轄する地方裁判所又は簡易裁判所の裁判官があらかじめ発する許可状により、前二項の処分をすることができる。
  <sup>art-31/par-3 · https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-3</sup>
  In the cases referred to in the preceding two paragraphs, in cases of urgency, the immigration control officer may take the actions set forth in the preceding two paragraphs with a permit issued in advance by a judge of the district court or summary court with jurisdiction over the location of the object or place subject to official inspection, the body, object or place subject to search, the object subject to seizure, or the person to be ordered to record or print out electronic or magnetic records.
  <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

  **第四項**  入国警備官は、第一項又は前項の許可状（第三十七条の五第四項及び第五項を除き、以下この節において「許可状」という。）を請求するときは、容疑者が第二十四条各号のいずれかに該当すると思料されるべき資料及び次の各号に掲げる場合の区分に応じ当該各号に定める資料を添付してこれをしなければならない。
  <sup>art-31/par-4 · https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-4</sup>
  When requesting the permit set forth in paragraph (1) or the preceding paragraph (hereinafter referred to as a "permit" in this Section, except in Article 37-5, paragraphs (4) and (5)), the immigration control officer must attach materials giving grounds to consider that the suspect falls under any of the items of Article 24 and the materials specified in the following items in accordance with the categories of cases set forth in those items:
  <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

    **一**  容疑者以外の者の物件又は住居その他の場所を臨検しようとするとき　その物件又は場所が違反事件に関係があると認めるに足りる状況があることを認めるべき資料
    <sup>art-31/par-4/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-4/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-4/item-1</sup>
    when seeking to carry out an official inspection of an object, or a residence or other place, of a person other than the suspect:materials showing that there are circumstances sufficient to find that the object or place is related to the case of violation;
    <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

    **二**  容疑者以外の者の身体、物件又は住居その他の場所について捜索しようとするとき　差し押さえるべき物件の存在及びその物件が違反事件に関係があると認めるに足りる状況があることを認めるべき資料
    <sup>art-31/par-4/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-4/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-4/item-2</sup>
    when seeking to conduct a search of the body, an object, or a residence or other place, of a person other than the suspect:materials showing that there are circumstances sufficient to find the existence of the object to be seized and that the object is related to the case of violation;
    <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

    **三**  容疑者以外の者の物件を差し押さえようとするとき　その物件が違反事件に関係があると認めるに足りる状況があることを認めるべき資料
    <sup>art-31/par-4/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-4/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-4/item-3</sup>
    when seeking to seize an object of a person other than the suspect:materials showing that there are circumstances sufficient to find that the object is related to the case of violation; and
    <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

    **四**  容疑者以外の者が保管する電磁的記録であつて、当該電磁的記録を保管する者その他これを利用する権限を有する者に命じて必要な電磁的記録を記録させ、又は印刷させたものを差し押さえようとするとき　その電磁的記録が違反事件に関係があると認めるに足りる状況があることを認めるべき資料
    <sup>art-31/par-4/item-4 · https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-4/item-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-4/item-4</sup>
    when seeking to seize electronic or magnetic records kept by a person other than the suspect, being necessary electronic or magnetic records that the person who keeps them or any other person who has the authority to use them has been ordered to record or print out:materials showing that there are circumstances sufficient to find that the electronic or magnetic records are related to the case of violation.
    <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

  **第五項**  前項の請求があつた場合においては、地方裁判所又は簡易裁判所の裁判官は、容疑者の氏名、臨検すべき物件若しくは場所、捜索すべき身体、物件若しくは場所、差し押さえるべき物件又は記録させ、若しくは印刷させるべき電磁的記録及びこれを記録させ、若しくは印刷させるべき者並びに請求者の官職氏名、有効期間、有効期間経過後は執行に着手することができずこれを返還しなければならない旨、交付の年月日及び裁判所名を記載し、自己の記名押印した許可状を入国警備官に交付しなければならない。
  <sup>art-31/par-5 · https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-5 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-5</sup>
  When the request set forth in the preceding paragraph has been made, the judge of the district court or summary court must issue to the immigration control officer a permit bearing the judge's name and seal which states the name of the suspect, the object or place subject to official inspection, the body, object or place subject to search, the object to be seized, or the electronic or magnetic records to be recorded or printed out and the person to be ordered to record or print them out, as well as the official title and name of the requesting person, the validity period, the fact that execution may not be commenced after the validity period has passed and that the permit must then be returned, the date of issuance and the name of the court.
  <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

  **第六項**  第二項の場合においては、許可状に、前項に規定する事項のほか、差し押さえるべき電子計算機に電気通信回線で接続している記録媒体であつて、その電磁的記録を複写すべきものの範囲を記載しなければならない。
  <sup>art-31/par-6 · https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-6 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-6</sup>
  In the case referred to in paragraph (2), the permit must state, in addition to the particulars prescribed in the preceding paragraph, the scope of the recording media connected to the computer to be seized via a telecommunications line from which the electronic or magnetic records are to be copied.
  <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

  **第七項**  入国警備官は、許可状を他の入国警備官に交付して、臨検、捜索、差押え又は記録命令付差押えをさせることができる。
  <sup>art-31/par-7 · https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-7 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-7</sup>
  An immigration control officer may deliver the permit to another immigration control officer and have them carry out the official inspection, search, seizure or seizure with a recording order.
  <sup>machine translation, not official</sup>

---

## Cites
- art-31/par-3: 前二項 → 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第三十一条第一項 (Article 31, paragraph (1)), art-31/par-1 — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-1
- art-31/par-3: 前二項 → 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第三十一条第二項 (Article 31, paragraph (2)), art-31/par-2 — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-2
- art-31/par-4: 第一項 → 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第三十一条第一項 (Article 31, paragraph (1)), art-31/par-1 — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-1
- art-31/par-4: 前項 → 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第三十一条第三項 (Article 31, paragraph (3)), art-31/par-3 — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-3
- art-31/par-4: 第三十七条の五第四項 → 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第三十七条の五第四項 (Article 37-5, paragraph (4)), art-37-5/par-4 — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-37-5/par-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-37-5/par-4
- art-31/par-4: 第五項 → 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第三十七条の五第五項 (Article 37-5, paragraph (5)), art-37-5/par-5 — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-37-5/par-5 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-37-5/par-5
- art-31/par-4: 第二十四条 → 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第二十四条 (Article 24), art-24 — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-24 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-24
- art-31/par-5: 前項 → 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第三十一条第四項 (Article 31, paragraph (4)), art-31/par-4 — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-4
- art-31/par-6: 第二項 → 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第三十一条第二項 (Article 31, paragraph (2)), art-31/par-2 — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-2
- art-31/par-6: 前項 → 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第三十一条第五項 (Article 31, paragraph (5)), art-31/par-5 — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-5 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-5

## Cited by

7 provisions cite this one. No official source publishes this direction.

- 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第三十一条第三項（臨検、捜索又は差押え等） — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-3
- 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第三十一条第四項（臨検、捜索又は差押え等） — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-4
- 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第三十一条第五項（臨検、捜索又は差押え等） — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-5 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-5
- 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第三十一条第六項（臨検、捜索又は差押え等） — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act/art-31/par-6 · https://japanlaw.org/l/326CO0000000319/art-31/par-6
- 出入国管理及び難民認定法施行規則 第三十一条第一項（臨検、捜索、差押え及び記録命令付差押え） — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act-enforcement-regulation/art-31/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/356M50000010054/art-31/par-1
- 出入国管理及び難民認定法施行規則 第三十一条第二項（臨検、捜索、差押え及び記録命令付差押え） — https://japanlaw.org/en/immigration-control-act-enforcement-regulation/art-31/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/356M50000010054/art-31/par-2
- 日本国との平和条約に基づき日本の国籍を離脱した者等の出入国管理に関する特例法 第二十二条第三項（退去強制の特例） — https://japanlaw.org/en/special-act-on-immigration-control/art-22/par-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/403AC0000000071/art-22/par-3

---

## Sources

- e-Gov 法令検索, Digital Agency (デジタル庁) — 出入国管理及び難民認定法 — the text in force from 2026-10-01 (https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/326CO0000000319/20261001_508AC0000000032), retrieved 2026-10-05
- Japanese Law Translation Database System, Ministry of Justice (法務省) — Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act — Ministry of Justice translation (https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/3624/tb), retrieved 2026-09-13
- claude-opus-5[1m] — Machine translation, batch immigration-control-act-20260913T134912-005, translated 2026-09-13
- This site's parser, version 223 — 出入国管理及び難民認定法 — structure, counts, cross-references and defined terms, computed 2026-10-05