Article 1The purpose of this Act, in conjunction with the Consumer Contract Act (Act No. 61 of 2000), is to protect those who are solicited for donations from a corporation, etc. (meaning a corporation or non-incorporated association or foundation with a designated representative or administrator; the same applies hereinafter) by prohibiting unjust solicitation of donations by a corporation, etc., and providing for administrative measures, etc. against a corporation, etc. that make the solicitations.

Article 2The term "donation" as used in this Act means the following:

Article 8(1)If a corporation, etc. engages in any of the acts set forth in the items of Article 4 against an individual at the time of soliciting the individual to donate, and the individual becomes misled and consequently manifests an intention to enter into or accept a contract relating to a donation or manifests an intention to engage in any unilateral juridical act (hereinafter collectively referred to as "manifestation of an intention to donate"), the individual may rescind the manifestation of an intention to donate (excluding the manifestation of an intention to enter into or accept a consumer contract (meaning a consumer contract as provided for in Article 2, paragraph (3) of the Consumer Contract Act; the same applies in Article 10, paragraph (1), item (ii)) if the donation falls under the category of a consumer contract; the same applies in the following paragraph and the following Article).

(2)The recession of the manifestation of an intention to donate under the preceding paragraph may not be asserted against a third party who is acting in good faith and without negligence.

(3)The provisions of the preceding two paragraphs apply mutatis mutandis to cases in which a corporation, etc. entrusts a third party to act as an intermediary for a donation between the corporation, etc. and the individual (hereinafter simply referred to as "entrustment" in this paragraph) and the entrusted third party (including a person who has been entrusted by the third party (including multi-tier entrustment arrangements); referred to as an "entrusted party, etc." in the following paragraph) performs the act prescribed in paragraph (1) with respect to the individual.

(4)With regard to the application of the provisions of paragraph (1) (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to the preceding paragraph; the same applies hereinafter), representatives of an individual, representatives of a corporation, etc., and representatives of an entrusted party, etc. involved in a donation (including subrepresentatives (including those appointed under multi-tier entrustment arrangements); hereinafter the same applies in this paragraph) are deemed to be individuals, corporations, etc., and entrusted parties, etc., respectively.

Article 9The right of rescission under paragraph (1) of the preceding Article is extinguished by prescription if it is not exercised within one year (or within three years in the case of a right of rescission under that paragraph on the grounds that the person was misled by the act set forth in Article 4, item (vi)) from the time that ratification becomes possible. The same applies when five years have elapsed from the time when a person manifested an intention to donate (or ten years in the case of a right of rescission under that paragraph on the grounds that the person was misled by the act set forth in the item).

Article 10(1)Notwithstanding the provisions of the main clause of Article 423, paragraph (2) of the Civil Code, an obligee that has a claim for periodic payments relating to support obligations held by an individual who has made a donation to a corporation, etc. (limited to a donation involving the delivery of money; hereinafter the same applies in this paragraph) may exercise the following rights concerning donations associated with the individual obligor when it is necessary to preserve the portion of the claim for periodic payments for which the fixed due date has not yet arrived:

(2)In the case of the preceding paragraph (limited to the part referring to item (iii)), the provisions set forth in the first sentence of Article 423-3 of the Civil Code do not apply to the portion of a claim for periodic payments relating to support obligations for which the due date has not yet arrived. In this case, the obligee may have the corporation, etc. deposit for the obligor an amount equivalent to the portion for which the fixed due date has not yet arrived.

(3)A corporation, etc. that has made a deposit pursuant to the provisions of the second sentence of the preceding paragraph must give notice of the deposit to the obligee who has exercised the right set forth in paragraph (1), item (iii) and the obligor without delay.

(4)The term "claim for periodic payments relating to support obligations" as used in this Article refers to claims for periodic payments with fixed due dates relating to the following obligations:

Article 11In order to enable persons who have the rights set forth in each item of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article or persons who may exercise these rights pursuant to the provisions of that paragraph or pursuant to the provisions of the main clause of Article 423, paragraph (1) of the Civil Code to effectively recover damages or conduct the similar actions through the appropriate exercise of their rights, the State must endeavor to strengthen coordination between the Japan Legal Support Center and relevant organizations, groups, etc., and to take measures for necessary support, such as developing a user-friendly consultation system.

Article 12In implementing this Act, sufficient consideration must be given to the academic freedom, freedom of religion, and freedom of political activities of individuals and corporations, etc., while bearing in mind the importance of the role that donations play in the activities of corporations, etc.

Article 13When the Prime Minister finds it necessary to achieve the purpose of this Act, the Prime Minister may request the heads of the relevant administrative organs to provide materials, explanations, and seek other necessary cooperation.

Article 14The Prime Minister delegates the authority under the provisions of Chapter II, Section 3 and the preceding Article (excluding authority to the Minister of State pursuant to the provisions of that Article) to the Secretary General of the Consumer Affairs Agency.

Article 15Beyond what is provided for in this Act, particulars necessary for the implementation of this Act are to be prescribed by orders.

Article 16A person who violates an order under Article 7, paragraph (3) is subject to imprisonment for not more than one year or a fine not exceeding 1,000,000 yen, or both.

Article 17A person who fails to make a report under Article 7, paragraph (1) or makes a false report is subject to a fine not exceeding 500,000 yen.

Article 18(1)If a representative or administrator of a corporation, etc. or an agent, employee, or other worker of a corporation, etc. has committed a violation set forth in the preceding two Articles in connection with the business of the corporation, etc., in addition to the offender being subject to punishment, the corporation, etc. is subject to the fine referred to in the respective Articles.

(2)If the provisions of the preceding paragraph apply to an unincorporated association or foundation, its representative or administrator represents the unincorporated association or foundation in any procedural acts and the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure that are applicable when a corporation is the accused or the suspect, apply mutatis mutandis.