Article 1The purpose of this Act is to solve social issues that are difficult for the national government and local governments to handle, and to foster independent supporters of privately-run public interest activities through the utilization of funds from dormant deposits or other dormant funds, to promote privately-run public interest activities while protecting the interests of depositors or other claim holders of the dormant deposits or other dormant funds, thereby contributing to the stabilization and improvement of the lives of the people and an increase in social welfare.

Article 2(1)The term "financial institution" as used in this Act means the following (excluding those that have their head office outside of the enforcement area of this Act):

(2)The term "deposits or other funds" as used in this Act means the general deposits, etc. (meaning the general deposits, etc. prescribed in Article 51, paragraph (1) of the Deposit Insurance Act (Act No. 34 of 1971)), deposits for payment and settlement purposes (meaning the deposits for payment and settlement purposes prescribed in Article 51-2, paragraph (1) of that Act), general savings, etc. (meaning the general savings, etc. prescribed in Article 51, paragraph (1) of the Agricultural and Fishery Cooperatives Savings Insurance Act (Act No. 53 of 1973), or savings for settlement purposes (meaning the savings for settlement purposes prescribed in Article 51-2, paragraph (1) of that Act) (excluding those specified by Order of the competent ministry).

(3)The term "depositor or other claim holder" as used in this Act means a depositor or other person that holds claims on deposits or other funds.

(4)The term "account activity" as used in this Act means the following circumstances regarding deposits or other funds:

(5)The term "the most recent account activity date or other date" as used in this Act means the most recent date, from among the following dates, regarding deposits or other funds:

(6)The term "dormant deposits or other dormant funds" as used in this Act means deposits or other funds for which ten years have elapsed since the most recent account activity date or other date of those deposits or other funds.

(7)To apply the provisions of paragraph (5), deposits or other funds coming from original deposits or other funds by the same depositor or other claim holder that were accepted, without being instructed to do so by them, are deemed to be the same as the original deposits or other funds.

Article 42When the DICJ performs operations under this Act, the provisions of the Deposit Insurance Act also apply to this Act. In this case, in Article 15, item (v) of that Act, the phrase "other matters deemed particularly necessary by the board" is deemed to be replaced with, "other matters deemed particularly necessary by the board (excluding matters regarding the operations of the DICJ under the Act on Utilization of Funds from Dormant Deposits to Promote Privately-Run Public Interest Activities (referred to as "Dormant Deposits Utilization Act" below)"; in Article 35, paragraph (1) of that Act, the phrase "The DICJ may, with" is deemed to be replaced with, "The DICJ may, under the provisions of Article 10, paragraph (1) of the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act and with", the phrase "meaning the financial institution, etc. prescribed in Article 126-2, paragraph (2)" is to be deemed to be replaced with, "meaning the financial institution, etc. prescribed in Article 126-2, paragraph (2) (in the case of performing operations under the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act, including those stated in Article 2, paragraph (1), items (x) through (xvi) of the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act)", and the phrase "in this Article, Article 122, paragraph (1), Article 123, paragraphs (2) and (3), and Article 125, paragraph (1)" is deemed to be replaced with, "in this Article"; in Article 37, paragraph (1) of that Act, the phrase "the operations stated in the following items" is deemed to be replaced with, "the operations stated in the following items (in the case of performing operations under the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act, those operations)" and the phrase "persons specified respectively in those items" is deemed to be replaced with, "persons specified respectively in those items (in the case of performing operations under the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act, the financial institutions prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (1) of the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act (including the financial institution agents prescribed in Article 10, paragraph (5) of the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act; the same applies in the following paragraph))"; in paragraph (2) of that Article, the phrase "a specified holding company, etc." is deemed to be replaced with, "specified holding company, etc. (in the case of performing operations under the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act, the financial institutions prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (1) of the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act)"; in Article 44, Article 45, paragraph (2), and Article 46, paragraph (1) of that Act, the phrase "this Act" is deemed to be replaced with, "this Act or the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act"; in Article 51, paragraph (2) of that Act, the phrase "the operations of the DICJ (except those listed in Article 40-2, item (ii))" is deemed to be replaced with, "operations of the DICJ (except those listed in Article 40-2, item (ii) and the management operations of dormant deposits or other dormant funds prescribed in Article 9 of the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act)"; in Article 151, paragraph (1) of that Act, the phrase "a financial institution, etc." is deemed to be replaced with, "a financial institution, etc. (in the case of performing operations under the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act, including those stated in Article 2, paragraph (1), items (x) through (xvi) of the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act)"; in item (i) of that paragraph, the phrase "in this Act" is deemed to be replaced with, "in this Act or the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act"; in item (ii) of that paragraph, the phrase "or Article 137-4" is deemed to be replaced with, "or Article 137-4, or Article 6, paragraph (3) of the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act"; in Article 152, item (i) of that Act, the phrase "under this Act" is deemed to be replaced with, "under this Act or the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act"; in item (iii) of that Article, the phrase "in Article 34" is deemed to be replaced with, "in Article 34 and those under the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act"; and in item (v) of that Article, the phrase "a policy reserve" is deemed to be replaced with, "liability reserves, funds or reserves", and the phrase "Article 41" is deemed to be replaced with, "Article 41 or the provisions of Article 8 or 14 of the Dormant Deposits Utilization Act".

Article 43(1)If an administrative authority finds it necessary for ensuring seamless enforcement of this Act, it may request a financial institution (including financial institution agents), a bank holding company, etc. (meaning the bank holding company prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (13) of the Banking Act or the long term credit bank holding company prescribed in Article 16-4, paragraph (1) of the Long Term Credit Bank Act; the same applies in the following paragraph), or a designated utilization organization to submit reports or materials concerning the status of their business or assets.

(2)If an administrative authority finds it especially necessary for ensuring seamless enforcement of this Act, depending on the extent necessary, it may request for a subsidiary company (a subsidiary means the subsidiary (including companies deemed to be a subsidiary) respectively prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (8) of the Banking Act, if that financial institution, etc. falls under a bank, or the bank holding company prescribed in paragraph (13) of that Article; prescribed in Article 13-2, paragraph (2) of the Long Term Credit Bank Act, if that financial institution, etc. falls under a long term credit bank, or the long term credit bank holding company prescribed in Article 16-4, paragraph (1) of that Act; prescribed in Article 32, paragraph (6) of the Shinkin Bank Act, if that financial institution, etc. falls under a credit union or a federation of credit unions; prescribed in Article 4, paragraph (1) of the Act on Financial Business by Cooperatives, if that financial institution, etc. falls under a credit cooperative or a federation of credit cooperatives; prescribed in Article 32, paragraph (5) of the Labor Bank Act, if that financial institution, etc. falls under a worker's credit union or a federation of worker's credit unions; prescribed in Article 23, paragraph (2) of the Shoko Chukin Bank, Ltd. Act, if that financial institution, etc. falls under the Shoko Chukin Bank, Ltd.; prescribed in Article 11-2, paragraph (2) of the Agricultural Cooperatives Act, if that financial institution, etc. falls under an agricultural cooperative or a federation of agricultural cooperatives; prescribed in Article 11-6, paragraph (2) of the Fishery Industry Cooperatives Act, if that financial institution, etc. falls under a fishery cooperative or a federation of fishery cooperatives, or a fishery industry processing cooperative or a federation of fishery industry processing cooperatives; or prescribed in Article 24, paragraph (4) of the Norinchukin Bank Act, if that financial institution, etc. falls under a Norinchukin bank; the same applies in the following paragraph and the following Article) of a financial institution or a bank holding company, etc. (referred to as "financial institution, etc." in this Article and the following Article) or a person entrusted with operations by that financial institution, etc. (excluding financial institution agents; the same applies in the following paragraph and paragraphs (2) and (5) of the following Article), the submission of reports or materials that may serve as a reference regarding the state of that financial institution, etc.'s business or assets.

(3)A subsidiary of a financial institution, etc. or a person entrusted with operations by a financial institution, etc. may refuse to submit the reports or materials under the preceding paragraph if there are reasonable grounds.

Article 44(1)If an administrative authority finds it necessary for ensuring the seamless enforcement of this Act, it may have its employee enter a financial institution, etc. (including financial institution agents; the same applies in paragraph (6)) or designated utilization organization's place of business, office, or other facilities and ask questions on the state of their business or assets, or inspect books, documents, and other items.

(2)If an administrative authority finds it especially necessary upon the entry, questioning, or inspection under the preceding paragraph, depending on the extent necessary, it may have its employee enter facilities of a subsidiary of a financial institution, etc. or a person entrusted with operations by a financial institution, etc., under the preceding paragraph, and ask questions concerning matters necessary for the questioning or inspection of that financial institution, etc., or inspect books, documents, and other items.

(3)In the cases referred to in the preceding two paragraphs, the employee stated in these paragraphs must carry a certificate of identification and produce it, if requested by a relevant person.

(4)The authority under paragraphs (1) and (2) must not be construed as being granted for criminal investigation purposes.

(5)The provisions of paragraph (3) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to the questioning and inspection under the provisions of paragraph (2) of a subsidiary of the financial institution, etc. or a person entrusted with operations by the financial institution, etc.

(6)If an administrative authority finds it necessary, it may have the DICJ conduct the entry, questioning, or inspection under the provisions of paragraph (1) (limited to the part related to the financial institution, etc.) or paragraph (2) (limited to inspecting whether the procedures and entrustment or re-entrustment of the repayment and other management operations under Chapter II, Section 1 are properly carried out). In this case, the DICJ is to have its employee conduct the entry, questioning, or inspection.

(7)The provisions of paragraphs (3) through (5) apply mutatis mutandis to the entry, questioning, or inspection under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 45(1)To apply the provisions of the Income Tax Act and other laws and regulations concerning income tax for substitute money for dormant deposits or other dormant funds the part of the substitute money for dormant deposits or other dormant funds related to the part of the claim that is equivalent to the amount of the principal on the claim on the relevant dormant deposits or other dormant funds actually held by the depositor or other claim holder on the day of payment of the money transferred from dormant deposits or other dormant funds related to that dormant deposits or other dormant funds is deemed to be the amount of principal to be refunded out of those claims; the part of the substitute money for dormant deposits or other dormant funds that is equivalent to the interest in Article 7, paragraph (2) is deemed to be the amount specified in the items of Article 4, paragraph (2) based on the category stated in those items out of the claim on the relevant dormant deposits or other dormant funds; and if there is a financial institution that handles the repayment of substitute money for dormant deposits or other dormant funds under entrustment the DICJ for repayment and other management operations, that financial institution is deemed to be the one to repay the substitute money for dormant deposits or other dormant funds.

(2)If the provisions of the preceding paragraph apply, matters necessary for the application of the special provisions specified in Articles 4-2 and 4-3 of the Act on Special Measures Concerning Taxation (Act No. 26 of 1957) and other provisions of that paragraph are to be provided for by Cabinet Order.

Article 46The provisions of the Act on Damage Recovery Benefit Distributed from Fund in Bank Accounts Used for Crimes (Act No. 133 of 2007) (excluding Articles 35 and 36) apply to substitute money for dormant deposits or other dormant funds by deeming it to be the deposit or other funds prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (5) of that Act, and to the DICJ by deeming it to be the financial institution that repays the damage recovery benefits prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (5) of that Act by receiving a notification of exercise of rights in Article 5, paragraph (1), item (v) of that Act, or pursuant to the provisions of Chapter IV of that Act. In this case, necessary technical replacement of terms is to be specified by Cabinet Order.

Article 47(1)If there is a financial institution that performs the repayment and other management operations under entrustment of the DICJ, with claims for the purpose of repayment of substitute money for dormant deposits or other dormant funds that the financial institution handles in that operation, regarding judicial enforcement, provisional seizure, disposition to collect national tax arrears (including dispositions under those rules), or other dispositions specified by Order of the competent ministry as equivalent to these (referred to as "judicial enforcement or other dispositions" in paragraph (3)) the financial institution is to be the designated service recipient where the place in which the DICJ is to be served is a place of business or an office of that financial institution.

(2)The provisions of the preceding paragraph do not preclude the application of the provisions of Article 16 of the Civil Enforcement Act (Act No. 4 of 1979) (including the cases applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 46 of the Civil Provisional Remedies Act (Act No. 91 of 1989)).

(3)Beyond what is prescribed in paragraph (1), the financial institution stated in that paragraph represents the DICJ regarding the matters concerning judicial enforcement or other dispositions (excluding procedures on an action or an appeal against an enforcement decision).

Article 48(1)The national government is to endeavor to raise public awareness and gain acceptance through public relations and the like regarding the purpose of this Act to utilize funds related to dormant deposits or other dormant funds in duties for promoting privately-run public interest activities, and matters concerning procedures for the repayment of substitute money for dormant deposits or other dormant funds, and other details of this Act, while protecting the interests of depositors or other claim holders of dormant deposits or other dormant funds.

(2)The DICJ is to publish matters concerning those entrusted of the repayment and other management operations, and at least once every year, publish details concerning the status of the repayment of money transferred from dormant deposits or other dormant funds, the repayment status of substitute money for dormant deposits or other dormant funds, and other matters concerning the status of enforcement of this Act, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order and Ministry of Finance Order.

Article 49Beyond what is provided for in this Act, other matters necessary for the enforcement of this Act are to be specified by Order of the competent ministry.

Article 50Administrative authority under this Act are those specified in the following items based on the category stated in those items:

Article 51Orders of the competent ministry under this Act are Cabinet Office Order, Ministry of Finance Order, Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Order of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Order of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Article 52(1)The Prime Minister delegates the authority under this Act to the Commissioner of the Financial Services Agency, except those specified below:

(2)Prefectural governors may carry out part of the affairs under the authority of administrative authorities prescribed in this Act (excluding affairs that are under the authority of prefectural governors pursuant to this Act), as provided for by Cabinet Order.

(3)Beyond what is prescribed in the preceding two paragraphs, necessary matters concerning the authority of administrative authorities under this Act are to be provided for by Cabinet Order.

Article 53Affairs to be handled by prefectures pursuant to this Act are to be the item 1 statutory entrusted functions prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (9) item (i) of the Local Autonomy Act (Act No. 67 of 1947).

Article 54In the case of enacting, amending, or repealing an order based on the provisions of this Act, necessary transitional measures (including transitional measures concerning penal provisions) may be provided for by that order, to the extent considered reasonably necessary for its enactment, amendment, or repeal.

Article 55(1)Any person who fails to submit reports or materials under the provisions of Article 43, paragraph (1) (excluding the part on the designated utilization organization) or paragraph (2), or submits false reports or materials is punished by imprisonment for not more than one year, or a fine of not more than 3,000,000 yen.

(2)The provisions of the preceding paragraph apply to any person that refuses to answer or gives false answers to questions by the employees under the provisions of Article 44, paragraph (1) (excluding the part on the designated utilization organization), paragraph (2), or paragraph (6), under the provisions of these paragraphs, or refuses, obstructs or evades inspection under these provisions.

Article 56(1)Any person that transfers and receives that issuance, or accepts the offer of a deposit passbook or a card for withdrawal of dormant deposits or other dormant funds, concerning substitute money for dormant deposits or other dormant funds, or other articles specified by Cabinet Order as those necessary for receiving the repayment of the substitute money for dormant deposits or other dormant funds (referred to as "deposit passbook, etc." in the following paragraph) to receive the repayment of the substitute money for dormant deposits or other dormant funds by pretending to be another person, or with the intent of having a third party do the same is to be punished by imprisonment for not more than one year or a fine of not more than 1,000,000 yen, or both.

(2)The provisions of the preceding paragraph apply to any person that transfers, issues, or offers a deposit passbook and the like to the other party with the knowledge that the relevant party has any of the purposes stated in that paragraph.

(3)Any person that commits an act falling under the crimes stated in the preceding two paragraphs in the course of trade is to be punished by imprisonment for not more than three years or a fine of not more than 5,000,000 yen, or both.

(4)The provisions of paragraph (1) apply to any person that has solicited another person, or induced another person by advertising or using other similar means into committing an act falling under the crimes stated in paragraph (1) or (2).

Article 57Any person that violates the provisions of Article 27, paragraph (1) is to be punished by imprisonment for not more than one year, or a fine of not more than 1,000,000 yen.

Article 58Any person that violates an order of suspension of duties under the provisions of Article 33, paragraph (1) is to be punished by imprisonment for not more than one year, or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen.

Article 59Any person falling under any of the following items is to be punished by a fine of not more than 300,000 yen:

Article 60(1)If any representative or administrator of a corporation (including an organization not falling under a corporation for which a representative or an administrator has been designated; the same applies in this paragraph), or an agent, employee, or other worker of a corporation or an individual commits any violation of the provisions stated in either of the following items regarding the operations or duties of the corporation or the individual, not only is the offender to be punished, but the corporation is to be punished by the fine stated in the following items and that individual is to be punished by the fine in the respective Articles:

(2)If the provisions of the preceding paragraph apply to an organization that is not a corporation, its representative or administrator is to represents that organization not falling under a corporation regarding any procedural act, and the provisions of laws concerning criminal procedures, if a corporation acts as the accused or the suspect, apply mutatis mutandis to that case.

Article 61If any of the following violations has been committed, the officer or employee of the designated utilization organization that has committed the act is to be punished by a civil fine of not more than 500,000 yen: