Article 1The terms used in this Cabinet Office Order have the same meanings as the terms used in the Consumer Contract Act (hereinafter referred to as "the Act").

Article 2(1)The special relationships specified by Cabinet Office Order provided in Article 13, paragraph (3), item (iv), sub-item (b) 1 of the Act (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 17, paragraph (6), Article 19, paragraph (6), and Article 20, paragraph (6) of the Act; the same applies hereinafter) are to be the relationships set forth below:

(2)In the case referred to in item (i) of the preceding paragraph, determinations as to whether or not one of the business operators holds, either directly or indirectly, at least half of the total number of issued shares, etc., in the other business operator are to be made by adding the holding rate of the shares in the second business operator that are held directly by the first business operator (meaning the percentage of shares that the first business operator holds in the second business operator out of the total number of the second business operator's issued shares, etc.) and the holding rate of the shares in the second business operator that are held indirectly by the first business operator (meaning any of the percentages provided for in the following items in accordance with the classification provided in those items (where all of the cases set forth in the following items apply, this is be the sum total of the percentages provided for in each of the items)):

(3)The provisions of the preceding paragraph apply mutatis mutandis to the determination of a relationship under paragraph (1), item (ii).

(4)The persons specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 13, paragraph (3), item (iv), sub-item (b) 1 of the Act are to be the persons set forth as follows:

(5)With regard to the determination of whether the requirements provided for in Article 13, paragraph (3), item (iv), sub-item (b) 1 of the Act have been fulfilled, where the person has ceased to fulfill the requirement through no fault of their own, when, thereafter without delay, the person is found to fulfill the requirements, they are deemed to have continuously fulfilled the requirements.

Article 3(1)The classifications prescribed by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 13, paragraph (3), item (iv), sub-item (b) 2 of the Act are to be those categorized as follows. A business that belongs to the classification between 01 Agriculture and 79 Cooperative Associations (not classified elsewhere), or between 81 Scientific and Development Research Institutes and 99 Industries Unable to Classify, as listed in the Japan Standard Industry Classifications provided in the Establishment of the Nomenclature and Classification Table concerning Industries pursuant to the Provisions of the Cabinet Order Providing for Industrial Classification and Classification of Diseases, Injuries and Death to be used for Statistical Surveys (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Notice No. 139 of 2002) are to be classified accordingly; a business that belongs to 80 Professional Services (not classified elsewhere) is to be classified under 80 Professional Services (not classified elsewhere) (limited to law firms and judicial scriveners' offices) or under 80 Professional Services (not classified elsewhere) (excluding those other than law firms and judicial scriveners' offices); provided, however, that, when the Prime Minister, in consideration of the nature of business activities, has found that there is no risk of hindering the fair and proper performance of services related to injunction demands and orders and has publicly notified a different classification, that classification.

(2)The provisions of paragraph (5) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to the determination of the requirements set forth in Article 13, paragraph (3), item (iv), sub-item (b) 2 of the Act.

Article 4The requirements specified in Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 13, paragraph (3), item (v), sub-item (a) of the Act are to fall under one of the following items:

Article 5The requirements specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 13, paragraph (3), item (v), sub-item (b) of the Act are to fall under one of the following items:

Article 6The matters specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 13, paragraph (4) of the Act (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 17, paragraph (6), Article 19, paragraph (6), and Article 20, paragraph (6) of the Act) are as set forth below:

Article 7The matters specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 14, paragraph (1), item (iii) of the Act (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 17, paragraph (6), Article 19, paragraph (6), and Article 20 paragraph (6) of the Act; the same applies hereinafter) are to be the following matters:

Article 8(1)The matters specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 14, paragraph (2), item (vi), sub-item (b) of the Act are to be the telephone numbers and other contact information of officers, employees, and expert advisors.

(2)The documents specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 14, paragraph (2), item (xi) of the Act are to be the following documents:

Article 9Public notices as provided in Article 15, paragraph (1) of the Act (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 17, paragraph (6), Article 19, paragraph (6), and Article 20, paragraph (6) of the Act; hereinafter the same applies in this Article) are to provide to the public the matters set forth in Article 15, paragraph (1) of the Act and the period and place of public inspection of documents that should be provided for public inspection pursuant to the provisions of that paragraph by making them available for public inspection by posting them on the notice board of the Consumer Affairs Agency, by posting them on the internet, or by other methods.

Article 10Public notices provided in Article 16, paragraph (1) (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 17, paragraph (6), Article 19, paragraph (6), and Article 20 paragraph (6) of the Act; the same applies in Article 29, item (i)), Article 19, paragraph (8), Article 20, paragraph (8), Article 21, paragraph (2), Article 34, paragraph (5), and Article 35, paragraph (10) of the Act are to be made by publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 11Notification referred to in Article 16, paragraph (2) of the Act must be made by displaying the name of the qualified consumer organization and the phrase "qualified consumer organization" in an easily visible location near the entrance or reception area of the organization's office.

Article 12(1)A person who seeks to submit a notification of changes to the matters set forth in the items of Article 14, paragraph (1) of the Act or the matters stated in the documents set forth in the items of Article 14, paragraph (2) of the Act (excluding item (ii) and item (xi); hereinafter the same applies in this Article) pursuant to the provisions of Article 18 of the Act must submit a written notification stating the following matters:

(2)The documents set forth in the following items must be attached to the written notification provided for in the preceding paragraph in accordance with the cases set forth in each item:

(3)The minor changes specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 18 of the Act, are to be the following changes to the matters stated in the documents set forth in Article 14, paragraph (2), item (vii) of the Act:

Article 13(1)Notices under Article 23, paragraph (4) of the Act (excluding those in cases set forth in item (x) of the same paragraph) must be given in writing.

(2)Reports under Article 23, paragraph (4) of the Act (excluding those related to cases set forth in item (x) of the same paragraph) must be made in writing, and must be accompanied by a copy of the document provided in Article 41, paragraph (1) of the Act, a written complaint or written petition, a judgment document or a written ruling, a record of waiver or acknowledgement of claim, judicial settlement or conciliation, a written arbitration decision, a brief, or other documents indicating their content (referred to as "evidentiary documents" in Article 15, paragraph (1)).

(3)Notices and reports under Article 23, paragraph (4) of the Act (each limited to those related to cases set forth in item (x) of the same paragraph) must be made in writing by documents in which the matters set forth in the following items have been stated, by no less than two weeks prior to the date on which the qualified consumer organization seeks to carry out an act set forth in Article 16:

(4)The "date on which the qualified consumer organization seeks to carry out the act" prescribed in the preceding paragraph means the dates set forth in the following items in accordance with the cases provided in each item:

(5)Where any change arises in matters set forth in the items of paragraph (3) (excluding where the change relates to an objectively clear clerical error, misprint or omission, or other changes that do not cause the sameness of the content to be lost) after the notification and reporting provided in that paragraph but before a final and binding judgment has been rendered or anything with the same effect as a final and binding judgment comes into effect, a new notice and report must be given in writing on each such occasion, which state the changed matters.In this case, the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs apply mutatis mutandis.

Article 14The matters specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 23, paragraph (4) the Act are to be information related to the content and implementational timing (referred to as "information on improvement measures" in Article 28), where the qualified consumer organization has received notice from the adverse party to an injunction demand to the effect that the adverse party has suspended, prevented, or taken the necessary measures to suspend or prevent the acts set forth in Article 12 of the Act, Article 10 of the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations (Act No. 134 of 1962) or Articles 58-4 through Article 58-9 of the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (Act No. 57 of 1976) in connection with an injunction demand under Article 23, paragraph (4), items (iv) through (ix) of the Act or an act pursuant to item (xi) of that paragraph.

Article 15(1)The measures specified by Cabinet Office Order that allow all qualified consumer organizations and the Prime Minister to inspect the same information through electronic or magnetic means referred to in Article 23, paragraph (4) of the Act are to be measures for recording, on a storage medium in a telecommunications facility managed by the Commissioner of the Consumer Affairs Agency, the matters provided for in the first sentence of Article 23, paragraph (4) of the Act, the matters stated in evidentiary documents provided for in Article 13, paragraph (2) and matters set forth in the items of Article 13, paragraph (3) (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 13, paragraph (5)), and that allow all qualified consumer organizations and the Commissioner of the Consumer Affairs Agency to record the information and receive the information recorded on the storage medium.

(2)When a qualified consumer organization implements the measures provided for in the preceding paragraph, the qualified consumer organization must, either in advance or at the time of implementing the measures, send an electronic mail message to the electronic mail address specified in advance by the Commissioner of the Consumer Affairs Agency in order to notify all qualified consumer organizations and the Commissioner of the Consumer Affairs Agency that it will implement or has implemented those measures.

(3)When a notification or report provided for in Article 23, paragraph (4) of the Act has been given in accordance with the measures set forth in paragraph (1), the notice or report is deemed to have been delivered to all qualified consumer organizations and the Commissioner of the Consumer Affairs Agency at the time when the information was recorded on to the storage medium in a telecommunications facility managed by the Commissioner of the Consumer Affairs Agency.

Article 16The acts connected with proceedings specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 23, paragraph (4), item (x) of the Act are to be as follows:

Article 17The acts connected with proceedings specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 23, paragraph (4), item (xi) of the Act are to be as follows:

Article 18The means specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 23, paragraph (5) of the Act are to be as set forth in the following items:

Article 19The matters specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 23, paragraph (5) of the Act are to be the fact that the information provided for in Article 39, paragraph (1) of the Act has been made public and the date of the publication.

Article 20The matters set forth by a Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 26 of the Act are to be the matters set forth as follows:

Article 21(1)The books and documents related to the services and accounting that are specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 30 of the Act are to be the following books and documents:

(2)Qualified consumer organizations are to close the books and documents provided for in the items of the preceding paragraph on the final day of each business year, and must keep the books and documents for five years following their closing.

Article 22(1)The persons who perform inspections provided in Article 31, paragraph (2) of the Act (hereinafter referred to as "inspectors" in this Article) are to be persons (excluding officers, employees, and expert advisors of the qualified consumer organization, and persons who have held those posts in the past two years) appointed by the qualified consumer organization from among persons who, in consideration of their occupations and professional histories, their qualifications, existence of any vested interest in the qualified consumer organization, and all other circumstances, are deemed to have the relevant expertise as provided in Article 31, paragraph (2) of the Act and the ability to make fair judgments.

(2)When a qualified consumer organization has appointed an inspector pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the qualified consumer organization must, without delay, enter into a contract (hereinafter referred to as "inspection contract" in this Article) with the inspector, stipulating that the organization will undergo inspections as provided in Article 31, paragraph (2) of the Act and receive inspection reports that state the methods and results of the inspections.

(3)Inspection contracts must contain clauses stipulating that, in the event that an inspector finds it necessary in order to perform the inspections set forth in Article 31, paragraph (2) of the Act and asks questions, demands reports, or seeks to inspect books and documents, and other objects to the extent required, the qualified consumer organization must comply with them.

(4)In implementing the inspection contracts, inspectors must constantly remain fair and unbiased, and carry out inspections on their own judgment and responsibility.

Article 23Qualified consumer organizations must keep the documents provided for in Article 31, paragraph (3) of the Act in their offices for five years.

Article 24The matters specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 31, paragraph (3), item (iii) of the Act are to be the matters set forth in the following items:

Article 25The matters specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 31, paragraph (3), item (vi) of the Act are to be the following matters:

Article 26The means specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 31, paragraph (4), item (iii) of the Act is to be the display on paper or a screen of the matters recorded in the electronic or magnetic record.

Article 27(1)The electronic or magnetic means specifed by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 31, paragraph (4), item (iv) of the Act is to be, among the following means, those provided for in the qualified consumer organization's rules of operation.

(2)The means set forth in the items of the preceding paragraph must be a means that allow the requester to prepare written documents by outputting the content recorded on the file.

Article 28The matter specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 39, paragraph (1) of the Act is to be an outline of the information on improvement measures in relation to the judgment or out-of-court settlement.

Article 29The necessary information specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 39, paragraph (2) of the Act is to be the following information:

Article 30(1)Qualified consumer organizations that seek to receive information under Article 40, paragraph (1) of the Act must submit a written application stating the following matters to the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, Incorporated Administrative Agency, or a local public entity:

(2)For the reasons for application referred to in item (iii) of the preceding paragraph, the qualified consumer organization must specifically state an outline of the information it has collected and other facts, etc., that justify the application.

(3)Where the written application referred to in paragraph (1) has been submitted and the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, Incorporated Administrative Agency or a local public entity finds that there are adequate grounds for the application, the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan or the local public is to provide the information to the extent found necessary among the information prescribed in items of paragraph (1) of the following Article.

(4)In providing information, the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, Incorporated Administrative Agency, or the local public entity is to make it clear that the information related to the consumer affairs consultation is a summary of a complaint by a consumer and that the veracity of the complaint has not necessarily been confirmed.

(5)In providing information, the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, Incorporated Administrative Agency, or the local public entity may restrict the purpose for using the information, and may impose conditions, such as requiring the qualified consumer organization to report the results of the use of the information that has been provided or any other necessary conditions.

(6)The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, Incorporated Administrative Agency, or the local public entity is not to provide the information if it finds it likely that the information requested pursuant to paragraph (1) will be used in violation of the provisions of Article 40, paragraph (2) of the Act or in violation of the restrictions or conditions that the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan or the local public entity seeks to impose pursuant to the preceding paragraph.

(7)In providing information, the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, Incorporated Administrative Agency, or the local public entity must take care to protect the personal information of consumers involved in the consumer affairs consultation.

Article 31(1)The information specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 40, paragraph (1) of the Act is to be the information set forth in the following items in accordance with the classification set forth in each of those items:

(2)The provisions of the preceding Article and the preceding paragraph do not preclude the provision of information other than that provided in the items of the preceding paragraph by the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, Incorporated Administrative Agency or local public entities, pursuant to the provisions of laws and regulations other than the Act (including prefectural and municipal ordinances).

Article 32(1)The matters specified by Cabinet Office Order referred to in Article 41, paragraph (1) of the Act (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 41, paragraph (3) of the Act; hereinafter the same applies in this Article) are to be as follows:

(2)For the demands set forth in paragraph (1) of Article 41 of the Act, wherever possible, the court to which the qualified consumer organization seeks to file an action, file an action after petitioning for a provisional disposition order, or file a petition for a provisional disposition order must be clarified.

Article 33The notice pursuant to the provisions of Article 46, paragraph (1) of the Act is to be given by attaching a copy of documents certifying the content of the final and binding judgment, etc., provided for in the main clause of Article 12-2, paragraph (1), item (ii) of the Act to which the other qualified consumer organization is a party (where measures provided in Article 15, paragraph (1) have been implemented, the documents prepared by outputting the part of the information that has been recorded on a storage medium provided in the same paragraph that is pertinent to the matters included in the documents).