# 会社法 / Companies Act — 第三十一条 (Article 31) - Law: 会社法 (Companies Act), 平成十七年法律第八十六号 - English title "Companies 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. - Provision: 第三十一条 (Article 31)（定款の備置き及び閲覧等） — address `art-31` - Text in force since: 2026-08-12 - URL (the page that opens at this provision): https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31 - Permanent URL (e-Gov law ID, never renamed): https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/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（定款の備置き及び閲覧等） — (Keeping and Inspection of Articles of Incorporation) caption: Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System art-31 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31 **第一項** 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。 art-31/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-1 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). Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System **第二項** 発起人（株式会社の成立後にあっては、その株主及び債権者）は、発起人が定めた時間（株式会社の成立後にあっては、その営業時間）内は、いつでも、次に掲げる請求をすることができる。ただし、第二号又は第四号に掲げる請求をするには、発起人（株式会社の成立後にあっては、当該株式会社）の定めた費用を支払わなければならない。 art-31/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2 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): Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System **一** 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 art-31/par-2/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2/item-1 if articles of incorporation are prepared in writing, a request to inspect it; Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System **二** 前号の書面の謄本又は抄本の交付の請求 art-31/par-2/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2/item-2 a request for a transcript or extract of the articles of incorporation referred to in the preceding item; Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System **三** 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 art-31/par-2/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2/item-3 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 Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System **四** 前号の電磁的記録に記録された事項を電磁的方法であって発起人（株式会社の成立後にあっては、当該株式会社）の定めたものにより提供することの請求又はその事項を記載した書面の交付の請求 art-31/par-2/item-4 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2/item-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2/item-4 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. Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System **第三項** 株式会社の成立後において、当該株式会社の親会社社員（親会社の株主その他の社員をいう。以下同じ。）がその権利を行使するため必要があるときは、当該親会社社員は、裁判所の許可を得て、当該株式会社の定款について前項各号に掲げる請求をすることができる。ただし、同項第二号又は第四号に掲げる請求をするには、当該株式会社の定めた費用を支払わなければならない。 art-31/par-3 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-3 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. Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System **第四項** 定款が電磁的記録をもって作成されている場合であって、支店における第二項第三号及び第四号に掲げる請求に応じることを可能とするための措置として法務省令で定めるものをとっている株式会社についての第一項の規定の適用については、同項中「本店及び支店」とあるのは、「本店」とする。 art-31/par-4 · https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-4 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". Ministry of Justice translation — Japanese Law Translation Database System --- ## Cites - art-31/par-2: 第二号 → 会社法 第三十一条第二項第二号 (Article 31, paragraph (2), item (ii)), art-31/par-2/item-2 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2/item-2 - art-31/par-2: 第四号 → 会社法 第三十一条第二項第四号 (Article 31, paragraph (2), item (iv)), art-31/par-2/item-4 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2/item-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2/item-4 - art-31/par-2/item-2: 前号 → 会社法 第三十一条第二項第一号 (Article 31, paragraph (2), item (i)), art-31/par-2/item-1 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2/item-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2/item-1 - art-31/par-2/item-4: 前号 → 会社法 第三十一条第二項第三号 (Article 31, paragraph (2), item (iii)), art-31/par-2/item-3 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2/item-3 - art-31/par-3: 前項 → 会社法 第三十一条第二項 (Article 31, paragraph (2)), art-31/par-2 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2 - art-31/par-3: 同項第二号 → 会社法 第三十一条第二項第二号 (Article 31, paragraph (2), item (ii)), art-31/par-2/item-2 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2/item-2 - art-31/par-3: 第四号 → 会社法 第三十一条第二項第四号 (Article 31, paragraph (2), item (iv)), art-31/par-2/item-4 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2/item-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2/item-4 - art-31/par-4: 第二項第三号 → 会社法 第三十一条第二項第三号 (Article 31, paragraph (2), item (iii)), art-31/par-2/item-3 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2/item-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2/item-3 - art-31/par-4: 第四号 → 会社法 第三十一条第二項第四号 (Article 31, paragraph (2), item (iv)), art-31/par-2/item-4 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2/item-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2/item-4 - art-31/par-4: 第一項 → 会社法 第三十一条第一項 (Article 31, paragraph (1)), art-31/par-1 — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-1 ## Cited by 9 provisions cite this one. No official source publishes this direction. - 会社法 第三十一条第二項（定款の備置き及び閲覧等） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2 - 会社法 第三十一条第二項第二号（定款の備置き及び閲覧等） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2/item-2 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2/item-2 - 会社法 第三十一条第二項第四号（定款の備置き及び閲覧等） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-2/item-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-2/item-4 - 会社法 第三十一条第三項（定款の備置き及び閲覧等） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-3 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-3 - 会社法 第三十一条第四項（定款の備置き及び閲覧等） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-31/par-4 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-31/par-4 - 会社法 第百二条第一項（設立手続等の特則） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-102/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-102/par-1 - 会社法 第八百十四条第一項（株式会社の設立の特則） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-814/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-814/par-1 - 会社法 第九百七十六条第一項第八号（過料に処すべき行為） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/companies-act/art-976/par-1/item-8 · https://japanlaw.org/l/417AC0000000086/art-976/par-1/item-8 - 金融商品取引法 第百三十九条の二十第一項（株式会社金融商品取引所の設立の特則） — https://japanlaw.org/ja/financial-instruments-and-exchange-act/art-139-20/par-1 · https://japanlaw.org/l/323AC0000000025/art-139-20/par-1 --- ## Sources - e-Gov 法令検索, Digital Agency (デジタル庁) — 会社法 — the text in force from 2026-08-12 (https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/417AC0000000086/20260812_508AC0000000064), retrieved 2026-09-17 - Japanese Law Translation Database System, Ministry of Justice (法務省) — Companies Act — Ministry of Justice translation (part 1 of 2) (https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/4481/tb), retrieved 2026-09-17 - This site's parser, version 211 — 会社法 — structure, counts, cross-references and defined terms, computed 2026-09-17