Article 9A limitation of liability case is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the court specified in whichever of the following items is relevant, based on the category set forth in that item:

Article 10If the court finds it to be necessary to do so in order to avoid substantial detriment or delay, it may transfer a limitation of liability case, on its own authority, to another court of jurisdiction, to the district court with jurisdiction over the location of the general venue for a person holding a claim subject to limitation, or to the court that has pending another limitation of liability case or a limitation of liability case under the provisions of the Act on Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (Act No. 95 of 1975) arising from the same accident.

Article 11Except as otherwise provided, the Code of Civil Procedure (Act No. 109 of 1996) applies mutatis mutandis to limitation of liability proceedings.

Article 12(1)A judicial decision in limitation of liability proceedings may be reached without oral arguments being heard.

(2)The court may conduct the necessary investigations in a limitation of liability case on its own authority.

Article 13A person with an interest in the judicial decision in limitation of liability proceedings may file an immediate appeal against that judicial decision, but only as specially provided in this Act. If public notice of the juridical decision is issued, the period for filing the appeal is one month from the day on which that public notice is issued.

Article 14(1)A public notice that is issued pursuant to the provisions of this Act is to be issued through publication in the Official Gazette and in any newspaper designated by the court.

(2)A public notice becomes effective on the day following its last appearance in print.

Article 15If both public notice and service are required to be effected pursuant to the provisions of this Act, a person may effect service by sending the necessary documents by ordinary mail or by making use of correspondence delivery services prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (2) of the Act on Correspondence Delivery by Private-Sector Businesses (Act No. 99 of 2002) which are provided by a general correspondence delivery service as prescribed in paragraph (6) of that Article or a specified correspondence delivery service as prescribed in paragraph (9) of that Article. In such a case, public notice has the same effect as service upon all persons concerned.

Article 16Beyond what is provided for in this Act, the necessary particulars of limitation of liability proceedings are specified by the Rules of the Supreme Court.

Article 17(1)A Shipowner, etc., Salvor, or Servant, etc. may file a petition to commence limitation of liability proceedings in order to limit their own liability.

(2)Co-owners of a ship may file a petition to commence limitation of liability proceedings independently in order to limit their own liability.

Article 18When filing a petition to commence limitation of liability proceedings, the petitioner must make a prima facie showing of the facts necessary to identify the accident from which the Claims Subject to Limitation have arisen, make a prima facie showing that the amount of the Claims Subject to Limitation (excluding claims for interest arising after the accident or claims for damages or penalties due to default; the same applies in Article 25, item (ii)) exceeds the liability limit provided in Article 7, paragraph (1) or paragraph (3) (hereinafter referred to as the "Liability Limit"), and notify the court of the names and addresses of known holders of claims subject to limitation.

Article 19(1)If the court finds a petition to commence limitation of liability proceedings to be appropriate, it must order the person filing the petition (hereinafter referred to as the "Petitioner") to deposit money equivalent to the Liability Limit as determined by the court and money accrued thereon as calculated at a rate of six percent per annum for the period from the date of the accident to the date of the deposit (or, if the Petitioner concludes a deposit entrustment contract pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of the following Article, the date of the notification under the provisions of that paragraph; the same applies in the following paragraph), with the official depository designated by the court, and to notify the court thereof, within a fixed period not exceeding one month.

(2)The amount of money equivalent to the Liability Limit as referred to in the preceding paragraph is to be calculated based on the last value of one Unit publicized on the date of the deposit.

(3)An immediate appeal may be filed against a ruling under the provisions of paragraph (1).

Article 20(1)If a Petitioner concludes a deposit entrustment contract with the permission of the court and notifies the court of this within the period designated in the ruling under the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, the Petitioner is not required to deposit the amount of money fixed by the contract during that period.

(2)A deposit entrustment contract is a contract in which the entrusted party promises that, if a ruling is issued to commence limitation of liability proceedings, the entrusted party will make a deposit with the official depository referred to in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article on behalf of the Petitioner, comprising a fixed amount of money and the amount accrued thereon as calculated at the same rate as the rate of interest charged on deposit money, for the period from the date of the ruling to commence the limitation of liability proceedings to the date of the deposit.

(3)A deposit entrustment contract may not be modified or cancelled without the permission of the court once the court has been notified as under the provisions of paragraph (1).

(4)Only a bank or other person as specified by Cabinet Order may become the entrusted party under a deposit entrustment contract (hereinafter simply referred to as the "Entrusted Party").

Article 21(1)If the court has been notified as under the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, the Entrusted Party must make the deposit under the deposit entrustment contract by the date designated by the court (referred to as the "Designated Date" in paragraph (1) of the following Article) and notify the court of this.

(2)A deposit that an Entrusted Party makes pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph is deemed to be a deposit that the Petitioner makes as the depositor.

Article 22(1)If an Entrusted Party fails to make a deposit as under the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, it becomes obligated to pay the administrator the amount of money that was to be deposited on the Designated Date and the amount of money accrued thereon as calculated at a rate of six percent per annum for the period from the day following the Designated Date to the date of payment.

(2)If an Entrusted Party fails to perform the obligation referred to in the preceding paragraph, the court, at the petition of the administrator, must order the Entrusted Party to pay the administrator the amount due under the provisions of that paragraph.

(3)A ruling under the provisions of the preceding paragraph has the same effect as an enforceable title of obligation.

(4)An immediate appeal may be filed against the judicial decision on a petition as referred to in paragraph (2).

(5)When an administrator is paid by an Entrusted Party pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), the administrator must immediately deposit that money with the official depository referred to in Article 19, paragraph (1) and report this to the court.

(6)A deposit that an administrator makes pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph is deemed to be a deposit that the Petitioner makes as a depositor.

Article 23(1)If a petition is filed to commence limitation of liability proceedings and the court finds it to be necessary to do so, at the petition of the Petitioner or a Benefiting Debtor, the court may order a stay of procedures in a compulsory execution, provisional seizure, provisional disposition, or exercise of a security interest against the property of the Petitioner or Benefiting Debtor based on a Claim Subject to Limitation, until the ruling is made on the petition to commence the limitation of liability proceedings.

(2)The court may change or reverse a ruling for a stay as under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 24If the Petitioner is a bankrupt, the court must dismiss the petition to commence limitation of liability proceedings, without prejudice.

Article 25In the following cases, the court must dismiss the petition to commence limitation of liability proceedings, with prejudice:

Article 26Limitation of liability proceedings come into effect at the time the ruling to commence it is issued.

Article 27At the time of the ruling to commence limitation of liability proceedings, the court must appoint an administrator and specify the following particulars:

Article 28(1)After making a ruling to commence limitation of liability proceedings, the court must immediately issue public notice of the following particulars:

(2)The administrator, the Petitioner, known holders of claims subject to limitation, and known Benefiting Debtors must be served with a document giving the particulars set forth in the items of the preceding paragraph .

(3)The provisions of the preceding two paragraphs apply mutatis mutandis when there is a change in respect of a particular set forth in paragraph (1), items (ii) to (v); provided, however, that no public notice is required with regard to a change in the court dates for investigating the Claims Subject to Limitation.

Article 29(1)An immediate appeal may be filed against the judicial decision on a petition to commence limitation of liability proceedings.

(2)The provisions of Article 23 apply mutatis mutandis when an immediate appeal is filed against a ruling dismissing, with or without prejudice, a petition to commence limitation of liability proceedings.

Article 30(1)If an immediate appeal as referred to in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article is filed against a ruling to commence limitation of liability proceedings, and the court finds the Liability Limit or the date of the accident as fixed in the ruling under the provisions of Article 19, paragraph (1) to be inappropriate, the court must order the Petitioner to deposit, within a fixed period not exceeding two weeks, additional money equivalent to the Liability Limit and money accrued thereon as calculated at a rate of six percent per annum for the period from the date of the accident to the date of the deposit (or, if a deposit entrustment contract has been concluded pursuant to the provisions of Article 20, paragraph (1) as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to the following paragraph, the date of the notification under the provisions of Article 20, paragraph (1)) or additional money as calculated at a rate of six percent per annum as provided in Article 19, and to notify the court before which the limitation of liability case is pending of this, within a fixed period not exceeding two weeks.

(2)The provisions of Article 19, paragraph (2) and Articles 20 through 22 apply mutatis mutandis to a case as referred to in the preceding paragraph.In this case, the phrase "date of deposit" in Article 19, paragraph (2) is deemed to be replaced with "date of deposit referred to in Article 30, paragraph (1)".

Article 31(1)The court must issue public notice immediately once a ruling revoking a ruling to commence limitation of liability proceedings become final and binding.

(2)The administrator, the Petitioner, known holders of claims subject to limitation, and known Benefiting Debtors must be served with a document giving the particulars of a public notice as under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 32The Petitioner may recover money deposited as the fund provided for in the following Article or dispose of the right to claim the recovery of such money only after the expiration of one month from the day on which the ruling referred to in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article becomes final and binding.

Article 33Once limitation of liability proceedings commence, a person holding a claim subject to limitation may be paid, as provided in this Act, with money deposited based on a ruling under the provisions of Article 19, paragraph (1) or Article 30, paragraph (1), with money deposited pursuant to the provisions of Article 21, paragraph (1) or Article 22, paragraph (5) (including when these provisions are applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 30, paragraph (2)), with money deposited pursuant to the provisions of Article 94, paragraph (1), and with interest accrued on these monetary deposits (hereinafter such money and interest are collectively referred to as the "Fund"). In such a case, the person holding a claim subject to limitation may not exercise any right against the property of the Petitioner or the property of the Benefiting Debtor, other than the Fund.

Article 34Once limitation of liability proceedings commence, a person holding a claim subject to limitation may not set off the Claim Subject to Limitation against a claim held by the Petitioner or the Benefiting Debtor.

Article 35(1)To allege the grounds referred to in the second sentence of Article 33 and request that a compulsory execution based on a Claim Subject to Limitation be disallowed, the Petitioner or Benefiting Debtor must file an action to oppose the compulsory execution.

(2)The provisions of the Civil Execution Act (Act No. 4 of 1979) concerning an action to oppose execution apply mutatis mutandis to the action referred to in the preceding paragraph.

Article 36(1)To allege the grounds referred to in the second sentence of Article 33 and request that a person be disallowed from exercising a security interest based on a Claim Subject to Limitation, the Petitioner or Benefiting Debtor must file an action to oppose the exercise of the security interest.

(2)The action referred to in the preceding paragraph is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the court with jurisdiction over the location of the general venue for the defendant, or if there is no such court, the exclusive jurisdiction of the court with jurisdiction over the location of the property constituting the object of the security interest.

(3)The provisions of Articles 36 and 37 of the Civil Execution Act apply mutatis mutandis to the action referred to in paragraph (1).

Article 37(1)If limitation of liability proceedings that only involves Property Damage Claims is commenced, the Petitioner or a Benefiting Debtor may file a petition to expand the limitation of liability proceedings in order to limit the liability thereof for Personal Damage Claims; provided, however, that this does not apply after the court dates for investigating the Claims Subject to Limitation have commenced.

(2)The provisions of Articles 18 through 25 apply mutatis mutandis to a petition as referred to in the preceding paragraph.

Article 38(1)A ruling to expand limitation of liability proceedings must provide that the limitation of liability proceedings is effective in respect of Personal Damage Claims.

(2)The provisions of the preceding Section (other than the part of Article 27 that concerns the appointment of an administrator) apply mutatis mutandis to a ruling as referred to in the preceding paragraph.

Article 39If the ruling referred to in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article is issued and a Benefiting Debtor files a petition to expand the limitation of liability proceedings, that Benefiting Debtor is deemed to be the Petitioner as regards the application of the provisions of Articles 82 through 84, Articles 90 through 92, and Article 94.

Article 40(1)The administrator has the authority to state an opinion on a court date for investigating a Claim Subject to Limitation, to effect distribution, and to perform other duties as provided in this Act.

(2)The administrator may request the Petitioner or a Benefiting Debtor to report the necessary information or submit books and other documents to enable the administrator to perform the duties referred to in the preceding paragraph.

Article 41The court supervises the administrator.

Article 42The administrator must perform the duties thereof with the due care of a prudent manager.

Article 43(1)If necessary, an administrator may take it under the personal responsibility thereof to appoint a deputy administrator, in order to have that deputy administrator perform the duties of the administrator.

(2)The administrator must obtain the permission of the court to appoint a deputy administrator pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 44(1)The administrator may be paid in advance for the necessary costs for limitation of liability proceedings, and may receive the remuneration determined by the court.

(2)An immediate appeal may be filed against a ruling under provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 45The court may dismiss the administrator at the petition of an interested person or by its own authority, if there is a material reason for doing so. Before doing so, the court must hold a hearing for the administrator.

Article 46Once the administrator's task is complete, the administrator or the heir thereof must submit an accounting report to the court without delay.

Article 47(1)A person holding a claim subject to limitation may participate in limitation of liability proceedings based on the Claim Subject to Limitation held thereby (but only one that arises by the day that the court dates for investigating Claims Subject to Limitation commence, if it constitutes a claim for interest or a claim for damages or penalties due to default; hereinafter the same applies in this Chapter).

(2)A Petitioner or Benefiting Debtor that pays a Claim Subject to Limitation is deemed to be the maker of that Claim Subject to Limitation to the extent that it has paid the claim, and may participate in the limitation of liability proceedings based on that claim.

(3)A person that will be subrogated to the rights of a person holding a claim subject to limitation, or that will make a claim to reimbursement against the Petitioner or a Benefiting Debtor in respect of a Claim Subject to Limitation is deemed to be the maker of that Claim Subject to Limitation, and may participate in the limitation of liability proceedings based on that claim; provided, however, that this does not apply to a Claim Subject to Limitation whose holder is participating in the limitation of liability proceedings.

(4)If there is a likelihood of a compulsory execution being carried out in a foreign country based on a Claim Subject to Limitation, the Petitioner or a Benefiting Debtor is deemed to be the maker of a Claim Subject to Limitation in the amount due to be paid from the compulsory execution, and may participate in the limitation of liability proceedings based on that claim. The proviso of the preceding paragraph applies mutatis mutandis in such a case.

(5)A person seeking to participate in limitation of liability proceedings pursuant to the provisions of one of the preceding paragraphs must notify the court of the details of the Claim Subject to Limitation and other particulars as provided by the Rules of the Supreme Court.

(6)When notifying the court as under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the person seeking to participate in the limitation of liability proceedings pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (4) must make a prima facie showing of the likelihood of a compulsory execution being carried out in a foreign country.

Article 48(1)If a person other than the Petitioner and the Benefiting Debtors bears the obligation for full performance of a Claim Subject to Limitation and limitation of liability proceedings are also commenced for the benefit of that person or the limitation of liability proceedings are expanded for that person, the holder of a claim subject to limitation may exercise the right held thereby in each limitation of liability proceedings as regards the entire amount of the Claim Subject to Limitation held at the time the limitation of liability proceedings commence or the time the limitation of liability proceedings are expanded.

(2)The provisions of the preceding paragraph apply mutatis mutandis to a claim arising from tanker oil pollution damage as provided in Article 2, item (vi) of the Act on Liability for Oil Pollution Damage if a person other than the Petitioner and the Benefiting Debtors bears the obligation for full performance of a Claim Subject to Limitation and limitation of liability proceedings are commenced for the benefit of that person pursuant to the provisions of that Act (but only if the claim falls within the category of a Claim Subject to Limitation).

Article 49If a claim is a non-monetary claim, a monetary claim of an indeterminate amount, or a monetary claim of an amount that has been fixed in a foreign currency, the amount of that claim is its estimated value at the time the limitation of liability proceedings commence or the time the limitation of liability proceedings are expanded.

Article 50(1)A person must notify the court in accordance with the provisions of Article 47, paragraph (5) within the period for notifying the court that the court designates pursuant to the provisions of Article 27 (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 38, paragraph (2)).

(2)Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding paragraph, if a person that is entitled to participate in limitation of liability proceedings pursuant to the provisions of Article 47, paragraphs (1) through (4) is unable to notify the court of a claim within the period for notifying the court thereof due to grounds not attributable to that person, the person may notify the court of the claim after the expiration of the period for notifying the court; provided, however, that this does not apply after the end of the court dates for investigating Claims Subject to Limitation.

Article 51(1)A participant in limitation of liability proceedings must notify the court if a particular of which the participant has notified the court changes or if the participant seeks to change a particular of which the participant has notified the court.

(2)The provisions of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis if a person notifies the court of a change that would prejudice the interests of any other holder of a claim subject to limitation.

(3)A person participating in limitation of liability proceedings pursuant to the provisions of Article 47, paragraph (3) or paragraph (4) must notify the court after being subrogated to the rights of the person holding the claim subject to limitation, after acquiring the claim to reimbursement against the Petitioner or a Benefiting Debtor, or after paying the Claim Subject to Limitation. In such a case, the person must show proof of the facts constituting the cause of such notification.

Article 52(1)A person acquiring a claim of which a person participating in limitation of liability proceedings has notified the court may succeed to the status of that participant.

(2)A person seeking to succeed to the status of a participant pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph must notify the court of the claim acquired and of any other particulars specified by the Rules of the Supreme Court. In doing so, the person must show proof of having acquired the claim in question.

(3)The provisions of the preceding two paragraphs apply mutatis mutandis to the Petitioner or a Benefiting Debtor that pays a claim of which a person participating in limitation of liability proceedings pursuant to the provisions of Article 47, paragraph (1) has notified the court.

Article 53(1)If a notification filed with the court pursuant to the provisions of this Section is in violation of the provisions of Article 47, paragraph (5) or paragraph (6); Article 50 (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 51, paragraph (2)); Article 51, paragraph (3); or paragraph (2) of the preceding Article (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to paragraph (3) of that Article), the court must dismiss that notification.

(2)An immediate appeal may be filed against a ruling under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 54Participation in limitation of liability proceedings has the effect of interrupting prescription; provided, however, that this does not apply if the notification of the claim is withdrawn or dismissed.

Article 55(1)If the Petitioner or a Benefiting Debtor comes to know the name and address of a person holding a claim subject to limitation that is other than a person of which the court has been notified pursuant to the provisions of Article 18 (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 37, paragraph (2)) and that is not yet participating in the limitation of liability proceedings, the Petitioner or Benefiting Debtor must notify the court of that name and address immediately; provided, however, that this does not apply if the Petitioner or Benefiting Debtor comes to know this after the court dates for investigating Claims Subject to Limitation have concluded.

(2)The provisions of the Article 28, paragraphs (2) and (3) (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant Article 38, paragraph (2)) apply mutatis mutandis to a person holding a claim subject to limitation of which the court is notified pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 56(1)If it is urgently necessary to do so in order to prevent a substantial detriment to a person participating in limitation of liability proceedings pursuant to the provisions of Article 47, paragraph (1), at the petition of the administrator or by the court's own authority, the court may issue an order for the administrator to pay a reasonable amount of money from the Fund as part of the distribution for a Claim Subject to Limitation, even before the claim of which the participant has notified the court is determined.

(2)If a person holding a claim subject to limitation as provided in the preceding paragraph requests the administrator to file the petition referred to in that paragraph, the administrator must report this to the court immediately, and if the administrator decides not to file the petition, the administrator must report the reasons for such decision to the court without delay.

Article 57On a court date for investigating Claims Subject to Limitation, the court investigates whether each claim of which it has been notified is a Claim Subject to Limitation, and if it is a Claim Subject to Limitation, the court investigates the details thereof and the distinction of whether it is a Personal Damage Claim or a Property Damage Claim.

Article 58The Petitioner, Benefiting Debtors, and participants in limitation of liability proceedings, as well as agents of these persons, may appear on the court dates for investigating Claims Subject to Limitation and dispute any claim of which the court has been notified.

Article 59The investigation of Claims Subject to Limitation may not be conducted without the presence of the administrator.

Article 60If, on a court date for investigating Claims Subject to Limitation, neither the administrator nor any of the persons set forth in Article 58 disputes a claim, the claim is determined as a Claim Subject to Limitation, as are the details of the claim and the distinction of whether it is a Personal Damage Claim or Property Damage Claim.

Article 61(1)The court must issue a decision that assesses the validity of any disputed claim.

(2)If the relevant claim is not a Claim Subject to Limitation, this is established in a decision assessing its validity, and if the relevant claim is a Claim Subject to Limitation, the details of the claim and the distinction as to whether it is a Personal Damage Claim or Property Damage Claim on Damage to Property is established in the decision assessing its validity.

(3)The person notifying the court of the claim and the person disputing the claim are served with the decision assessing its validity.

Article 62To reach a decision assessing the validity of a disputed claim, the court may order the administrator to investigate a matter in need of investigation or ask for the administrator's opinion.

Article 63(1)A person (other than the administrator) that is dissatisfied with a decision assessing the validity of a disputed claim may file an action to oppose the enforcement of that decision during an inalterable time frame of one month from the day on which the person is served with the ruling.

(2)The party that disputed the claim must be named as the defendant if the action referred to in the preceding paragraph is brought by the person that notified the court of the claim in dispute, and the person that notified the court of the claim in dispute must be named as the defendant if the action referred to in the preceding paragraph is filed by the party disputing the claim.

(3)The action referred to in paragraph (1) is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the court before which the limitation of liability case is pending, and oral arguments may not begin until the period set forth in paragraph (1) has expired.

(4)If two or more actions are pending on the same claim concurrently, oral arguments must be held and judicial decisions reached following their consolidation. In such a case, the provisions of Article 40, paragraphs (1) through (3) of the Code of Civil Procedure apply mutatis mutandis.

(5)Unless an action as referred to in paragraph (1) is dismissed as unlawful, in the judgment rendered with regard to that action, the court must uphold or overturn the decision assessing the validity of the disputed claim.

Article 64(1)If notification of a Claim Subject to Limitation is filed pursuant to the provisions of Article 47, paragraph (5) and action is pending between the holder of that claim and the Petitioner or a Benefiting Debtor (hereinafter referred to as "Actions Outside the Proceedings"), the court may issue an order suspending the court proceedings under actions, at the petition of the plaintiff.

(2)At the petition of the plaintiff, the court may reverse the ruling to suspend as under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 65If an action to oppose a decision assessing the validity of a disputed claim is pending, an action between the person making the claim involved in the action to oppose and the Petitioner or a Benefiting Debtor may be filed in connection with that claim with the court before which the limitation of liability case is pending.

Article 66(1)If an action to oppose a decision assessing the validity of a disputed claim is pending and Action Outside the Proceedings which relates to the claim involved in the action to oppose is pending before another court of first instance, the court before which the limitation of liability case is pending may request that Action Outside the Proceedings be transferred thereto, upon petition.

(2)If a ruling under the provisions of the preceding paragraph is issued, the court that is requested to make the transfer must transfer the Action Outside the Proceedings to the court before which the limitation of liability case is pending.

(3)A transfer under the provisions of the preceding paragraph may be effected even during a continuance or suspension of court proceedings.

Article 67If both an action to oppose a decision assessing the validity of a disputed claim and Action Outside the Proceedings are pending before the court before which the limitation of liability case is pending, oral arguments must be held and judicial decisions reached following their consolidation.

Article 68A Fund, less what is paid out pursuant to the provisions of Article 92, paragraph (5) (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 94, paragraph (2)) or Article 93, paragraph (1) or paragraph (3), is allocated to cover distribution.

Article 69(1)The administrator must effect the distribution without delay after the court dates for investigating Claims Subject to Limitation have concluded.

(2)If an objection is raised on a court date for investigating a Claim Subject to Limitation, the administrator may effect a distribution only after the expiration of the period for filing an action to oppose the decision assessing the validity of a disputed claim; provided, however, that this does not apply if the administrator obtains the permission of the court to effect the distribution.

Article 70(1)Before seeking to effect a distribution, the administrator must prepare a distribution list and obtain the approval of the court.

(2)A distribution list must give the names of persons holding claims subject to limitation that are eligible for distribution, the amounts of the Claims Subject to Limitation that are eligible for distribution, the amount of money available for distribution, the distribution percentage, and other information specified by the Rules of the Supreme Court, separately for Personal Damage Claims and Property Damage Claims.

Article 71Once the court approves a distribution list, it must issue public notice of this.

Article 72(1)A person that is dissatisfied with an entry in the distribution list may file an objection with the court during an inalterable time frame of two weeks from the date of the public notice under the provisions of the preceding Article.

(2)If the court finds an objection to be reasonable, it must order the administrator to correct the distribution list.

(3)An immediate appeal may be filed against a judicial decision on an objection.

Article 73A participant in limitation of liability proceedings may request the administrator to defer distribution prior to the expiration of the period for filing an objection to the distribution list by showing proof that Action Outside the Proceedings is pending in connection with the claim of which the participant has notified the court or that the claim has been subject to a compulsory execution or the exercise of a security interest.

Article 74The administrator must defer distribution with regard to the following claims:

Article 75(1)If it is unclear what amount of expenses and other costs or what amount of remuneration for an attorney or legal professional corporation will be paid on behalf of the Petitioner pursuant to the provisions of Article 92, paragraph (1) or Article 93, paragraph (2) or will be paid out pursuant to Article 93, paragraph (1), the court must order the administrator to withhold a reasonable amount of the Fund for this.

(2)The court may change or reverse a ruling under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 76Once it becomes possible for a participant in limitation of liability proceedings to be paid from the Fund in the amount that is to be distributed to the participant pursuant to the provisions of laws and regulations concerning deposits, the Petitioner and Benefiting Debtors are discharged from liability outside the limitation of liability proceedings for the claim in respect of which the distribution is made to that participant.

Article 77If it is determined in Action Outside the Proceedings that a claim of which the court has been notified is not a Claim Subject to Limitation, that claim is excluded from the limitation of liability proceedings.

Article 78Once the relevant of the following circumstances arise with regard to a claim as set forth in one of the items of Article 74, the administrator must implement the distribution without delay:

Article 79(1)If any part of a Fund allocable to distribution is newly identified, the administrator must effect another distribution.

(2)An administrator may temporarily refrain from effecting the distribution referred to in the preceding paragraph with the permission of the court.

Article 80The court must rule to conclude limitation of liability proceedings and issue public notice of the same once distribution is completed.

Article 81If the Petitioner or a Benefiting Debtor violates the duty to notify the court as provided in Article 18 (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 37, paragraph (2)) or Article 55, paragraph (1), once the ruling concluding the limitation of liability proceedings is issued, these persons are liable to compensate for any damage resulting from their violation of that duty.

Article 82In the following cases, the court must rule to discontinue limitation of liability proceedings, either upon petition or by its own authority; provided, however, that this does not apply in a case as referred to in item (iii) if discontinuing proceedings is likely to greatly harm a person holding a claim subject to limitation:

Article 83(1)The Petitioner may petition to discontinue limitation of liability proceedings with the consent of all known Benefiting Debtors and participants in the limitation of liability proceedings.

(2)If a petition as referred to in the preceding paragraph is filed, the court must rule to discontinue limitation of liability proceedings.

Article 84If a Petitioner has become subject to a ruling to commence bankruptcy proceedings and the continuation of limitation of liability proceedings is likely to greatly harm bankruptcy creditors, the court must rule to discontinue the limitation of liability proceedings at the petition of the bankruptcy trustee; provided, however, that this does not apply once the court has issued public notice of its approval of the distribution list or once permission has been given for a final distribution as provided in Article 195, paragraph (1) of the Bankruptcy Act (Act No. 75 of 2004), for a simplified distribution as provided in Article 204, paragraph (1) of that Act, for consensual distribution as provided in Article 208, paragraph (1) of that Act, or for an interim distribution as provided in Article 209, paragraph (1) of that Act.

Article 85(1)If the court rules to discontinue limitation of liability proceedings, it must issue public notice of the main text of the ruling and an overview of the reasons for that ruling immediately.

(2)The provisions of Article 31, paragraph (2) apply mutatis mutandis in the case referred to in the preceding paragraph.

Article 86An immediate appeal may be filed against a ruling dismissing a petition to discontinue limitation of liability proceedings with or without prejudice, or against a ruling to discontinue limitation of liability proceedings.

Article 87(1)Once a ruling reversing a ruling to discontinue limitation of liability proceedings becomes final and binding, the court must give public notice of this immediately.

(2)The provisions of Article 31, paragraph (2) apply mutatis mutandis to the case referred to in the preceding paragraph.

Article 88A ruling to discontinue limitation of liability proceedings does not become effective until it becomes final and binding.

Article 89The provisions of Article 32 apply mutatis mutandis once a ruling to discontinue limitation of liability proceedings becomes final and binding.

Article 90Except as provided in Article 93, paragraph (1) and paragraph (2), the necessary expenses for limitation of liability proceedings and the remuneration of the administrator (hereinafter referred to as "Expenses and Other Costs" in this Section) are borne by the Petitioner.

Article 91When filing a petition to commence limitation of liability proceedings, the Petitioner must prepay the amount designated by the court as Expenses and Other Costs. The same applies if the prepaid amount of Expenses and Other Costs falls short and the court orders the prepayment of the shortfall in Expenses and Other Costs

Article 92(1)In a case that falls under Article 82, item (iii), if circumstances are as prescribed in the proviso to that Article, Expenses and Other Costs are paid out of the Fund on behalf of the Petitioner.

(2)The administrator is to collect from the Petitioner the Expenses and Other Costs paid on the Petitioner's behalf pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

(3)In the case referred to in the preceding paragraph and at the petition of the administrator, the court must order the Petitioner to pay the administrator an amount of money equal to the amount of Expenses and Other Costs paid on the Petitioner's behalf pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1).

(4)The provisions of Article 22, paragraphs (3) and (4) apply mutatis mutandis to a ruling under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

(5)If it is impossible to collect Expenses and Other Costs that are to be collected pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (2), those Expenses and Other Costs must be paid out of the Fund.

Article 93(1)Other than expenses prescribed in the following paragraph, the Expenses and Other Costs and remuneration for an attorney or legal professional corporation which the administrator needs in order to conduct an action to oppose a decision assessing the validity of a disputed claim are paid out of the Fund.

(2)Among the expenses that the administrator needs in order to conduct an action to oppose a decision assessing the validity of a disputed claim, those falling under the scope of court costs are to be paid from the Fund on behalf of the Petitioner.

(3)Court costs that the administrator is to bear as decided in the judgment on an action to oppose a decision assessing the validity of a disputed claim are paid out of the Fund.

(4)At the petition of the administrator, the court fixes the amounts of the Expenses and Other Costs and remuneration which are referred to in paragraph (1).

(5)An immediate appeal may be filed against a ruling under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 94(1)After collecting the Expenses and Other Costs or court costs paid on behalf of the Petitioner pursuant to the provisions of Article 92, paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) of the preceding Article, the administrator must deposit the collected money as part of the Fund for the benefit of the Petitioner.

(2)The provisions of Article 22, paragraph (6) apply mutatis mutandis to a deposit made by the administrator pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, and the provisions of Article 92, paragraph (5) apply mutatis mutandis if it is impossible to collect the court costs referred to in the preceding paragraph that are to be collected by the administrator.