Article 1Business that is prescribed by order of the competent ministry as being expected to create new business and expand work opportunities as set forth in Article 2, paragraph (3) of the Act on Special Measures to Promote Research and Development Business, etc. by Specified Multinational Enterprises (hereinafter referred to as the "Act") is to fall under both of the following items:

Article 2Corporations prescribed by order of the competent ministry as being closely related as set forth in Article 4, paragraph (1) of the Act are as follows:

Article 3(1)A specified multinational enterprise intending to receive certification of a research and development business plan pursuant to the provisions of Article 4, paragraph (1) of the Act (hereinafter referred to as the "applicant" in this Article, the following Article, and Article 6) must submit a written application in the form of Form 1 and a copy thereof to the competent minister via the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.

(2)The written application referred to in the preceding paragraph must have the following documents necessary for the relevant certification procedures attached:

(3)Beyond what is set forth in the items of the preceding paragraph, the competent minister may request the submission of other documents necessary for certification.

(4)The written application referred to in paragraph (1) may be stated in English.

(5)When the documents listed in the items of paragraph (2) and the documents referred to in paragraph (3) are not stated in Japanese or English, Japanese or English translations thereof must be attached.

(6)When a research and development business plan pursuant to the provisions of Article 4, paragraph (3) of the Act has been certified, the competent minister is to notify the applicant to that effect.

(7)The notice referred to in the preceding paragraph is to be made by attaching a copy of the written application set forth in paragraph (1) to a written notice of certification in the form of Form 2.

Article 4Matters prescribed by order of the competent ministry set forth in Article 4, paragraph (2), item (ii) of the Act are as follows:

Article 5The number prescribed by order of the competent ministry set forth in Article 4, paragraph (3), item (ii) of the Act is ten; provided, however, that the number is 25 in the most recent business year of the implementation period of a research and development business plan (or 15 in the case of a business plan whose implementation period is three years or longer but shorter than four years, or 20 in the case of a business plan whose term is four years or longer but shorter than five years).

Article 6The requirements prescribed by order of the competent ministry set forth in Article 4, paragraph (3), item (ii) of the Act are as follows:

Article 7The period prescribed by order of the competent ministry set forth in Article 4, paragraph (3), item (iii) of the Act is three years or more but shorter than five years (or five years in cases where application of special provisions for taxation as prescribed in the paragraphs of Article 11 of the Act) is sought.

Article 8(1)A certified research and development business operator (meaning the certified research and development business operator prescribed in Article 5, paragraph (1) of the Act; the same applies hereinafter) who intends to receive certification for a change to a research and development business plan pursuant to the provisions of that paragraph, must submit a written application in the form of Form 3 and a copy thereof to the competent minister via the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry; provided, however, that this does not apply to minor changes.

(2)The written application referred to in the preceding paragraph must have the following documents attached; provided, however, that documents listed in item (ii) may be omitted if there is no change in the details stated in the documents that had already been submitted to the competent minister, by way of stating to that effect in the written application:

(3)The provisions of Article 3, paragraphs (3) to (7) apply mutatis mutandis to the certification set forth in paragraph (1).

Article 9When instructing a certified research and development business operator to make a change to a certified research and development business plan pursuant to the provisions of Article 5, paragraph (3) of the Act, the competent minister is to notify the certified research and development business operator to that effect by sending a written notice in the form of Form 4.

Article 10When rescinding certification of a research and development business plan pursuant to the provisions of Article 5, paragraph (2) or paragraph (3) of the Act, the competent minister is to notify the relevant certified research and development business operator to that effect by sending a written notice in the form of Form 5.

Article 11The written application set forth in Article 2, paragraph (1) of the Order for Enforcement of the Act on Special Measures to Promote Research and Development Business, etc. by Specified Multinational Enterprises (hereinafter referred to as the "Order") must be prepared in in the form of Form 6 for each application; provided, however, that when separately paying the patent fees for the fourth to the tenth years prescribed in Article 107, paragraph (1) of the Patent Act (Act No. 121 of 1959), the written application must be prepared in the form of Form 6 on each occasion.

Article 12The written application set forth in Article 3, paragraph (1) of the Order must be prepared in the form of Form 7 for each application.

Article 13Documents to be attached to the written application set forth in Article 2, paragraph (1) or Article 3, paragraph (1) of the Order (hereinafter referred to as a "written application for the reduction of patent fees, etc." in this Article and the following Article) proving that the applicant set forth in Article 2, paragraph (1) of the Order falls under both of the items of Article 10, paragraph (1) of the Act or that the applicant set forth in Article 3, paragraph (1) of the Order falls under both of the items of Article 10, paragraph (2) of the Act are as follows:

Article 14A person who has already submitted the documents to be attached to a written application for the reduction of patent fees, etc. (hereinafter referred to as the "documents" in this Article) to the Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office in procedures for submission of another written application for reduction of patent fees, etc. may omit the documents if there is no change in the documents attached to the other written application for reduction of patent fees, etc., by way of stating to that effect in the relevant written application for reduction of patent fees, etc.; provided, however, that the Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office may order to submit documents when the commissioner finds it particularly necessary.

Article 15(1)Certified research and development business operators must make a report concerning the implementation status of the certified research and development business plan for each business year during the implementation period, within three months after the end of each business year, in principle, to the competent minister via the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, by submitting a written implementation status report in the form of Form 8.

(2)The written implementation status report referred to in the preceding paragraph must have the inventory of assets, the balance sheet, and the income and expenditure statement or the profit and loss statement, or any document equivalent to either of these attached for each business year, as well as a document stating any other matters to be referred to.

(3)The written implementation status report referred to in paragraph (1) may be stated in English.

(4)When the documents referred to in paragraph (2) are not stated in Japanese or English, Japanese or English translations thereof must be attached.