Article 2The authority set forth in Article 1, paragraph (1), Article 9, paragraph (1) and Article 23, paragraph (1) of the Convention on Civil Procedure (hereinafter referred to as "Civil Procedure Convention") shall be the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Article 3(1)If an authority of a foreign state which is a contracting state of the Civil Procedure Convention (hereinafter referred to as "foreign state" in this Chapter) commissions the service of documents, examination of evidence, and other judicial acts that are provided for in the Civil Procedure Convention, the court shall provide legal assistance for them.

(2)The court that provides the legal assistance shall be the district court that has jurisdiction over the place where the required affairs are to be handled.

Article 4When the commissioned matters are subject to the jurisdiction of another court, the commissioned court shall transfer the commission to the court with jurisdiction.

Article 5The commissioned matters shall be executed pursuant to the Civil Procedure Convention if there are special provisions in the Convention, and to Japanese law in other circumstances.

Article 6(1)Matters pertaining to service of extrajudicial documents in foreign state, which are set forth in Article 1, paragraph (1) of the Civil Procedure Convention, are subject to the jurisdiction of the district court that has jurisdiction over the place where the person requesting the service has a general venue.

(2)The provisions of Part I, Chapter V, Section 4 of the Code of Civil Procedure (Act No. 109 of 1996) shall apply mutatis mutandis to the service set forth in the preceding paragraph and to the service of extrajudicial documents executed in Japan under commission from the authority of foreign state.

Article 7(1)The district court that provided legal assistance for the service shall issue a certificate confirming the fact, method, and date of the service or a certificate stating the reasons why the service could not be executed, and send it to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

(2)A court clerk shall handle the affairs of issuing the certificate set forth in the preceding paragraph.

Article 8When the notification pursuant to Article 11, paragraph (2) of the Civil Procedure Convention has been made, it is not necessary to issue a summons to the parties to appear on the appearance date.

Article 9With respect to the judicial decision of a Japanese court when examination of evidence or executing other judicial acts under commission from the authority of foreign state, said court is deemed to be the court in charge of the case and the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure on appeals shall apply.

Article 10A plaintiff who is a national of a contracting state of the Civil Procedure Convention and whose domicile, place of office, or business office is in a contracting state, is not required to provide security for court costs prescribed in Article 75, paragraph (1) of the Code of Civil Procedure even if the plaintiff's domicile, place of office, and business office are not in Japan; provided, however, that this does not apply if that contracting state reserves the right set forth in Article 32, paragraph (1) of the Civil Procedure Convention.

Article 11With respect to the judicial decision set forth in Article 18, paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) of the Civil Procedure Convention made by a court in Japan, the court in charge of the case of first instance shall commission the Minister of Foreign Affairs to request approval of execution based on a petition by the obligee of court costs.

Article 12(1)Compulsory execution of the judicial decision set forth in Article 18, paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) of the Civil Procedure Convention rendered by a court in foreign state may be conducted only when a court in Japan approves the execution.

(2)A case concerning approval of execution is subject to the jurisdiction of the district court that has jurisdiction over the place where the obligor of court costs has a general venue. If there is no such general venue, the case is subject to the jurisdiction of the district court that has jurisdiction over the action against the obligor of court costs pursuant to the provisions of Article 5, item (iv) of the Code of Civil Procedure.

Article 13If a request for approval of execution is made pursuant to the provisions of Article 18, paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) of the Civil Procedure Convention, the Minister of Foreign Affairs shall forward the request to the court.

Article 14The court shall examine the matters set forth in Article 19, paragraph (2), items (i), (ii), and (iii) of the Civil Procedure Convention and make a decision on approval or non-approval of the execution by the court's own authority when the court receives the forwarded request pursuant to the provision of the preceding Article or by a petition when there is an agreement set forth in Article 18, paragraph (3) of the Convention.

Article 15The decision on a case that the court started by the court's own authority pursuant to the provision of the preceding Article shall become effective by announcement to the public prosecutor(s) and the obligor(s) of court costs.

Article 16Only the petitioner and obligor of court costs may file an immediate appeal against the decision of approval or non-approval of execution. The same applies to the public prosecutor(s) who receives announcement of the decision of non-approval of execution pursuant to the provision of the preceding Article.

Article 17The binding decision of approval of execution shall have the same effect as an enforceable title of obligation.

Article 18When the decision on the case that was started by the court's own authority becomes final and binding, the court shall forward the original of the decision to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Article 19The court costs necessary for proceedings of approval of execution (including proceedings in the instance of appeal) that were started by the court's own authority shall be borne by the national treasury.

Article 20When there is a request to determine the amount of expenses pursuant to the provision of Article 19, paragraph (4) of the Civil Procedure Convention, the court shall determine the amount in the decision on approval of execution.

Article 21The provisions of Part II of the Non-Contentious Cases Procedures Act (Act No. 51 of 2011) shall apply mutatis mutandis to the petition and proceedings of approval of execution set forth in Article 11, except as otherwise provided by the Civil Procedure Convention or by this Act.

Article 22The competence of the authority set forth in Article 19, paragraph (3) of the Civil Procedure Convention is certified by the Supreme Court of Japan.

Article 23(1)A person who requests judicial aid in foreign state pursuant to the provisions of Article 23 of the Civil Procedure Convention must submit the request to a district court that has jurisdiction over the place where the person has a general venue.

(2)A court clerk shall handle affairs pertaining to the request set forth in the preceding paragraph.