Article 4When the Prime Minister finds it necessary to prevent unfair inducement of customers and ensure voluntary and rational choice-making by general consumers , the Prime Minister may restrict the maximum value of premiums or the total amount of premiums, the type of premiums or method of providing premiums, or other matters relating to premiums, or prohibit the provision of premiums.

Article 5A business operator may not make the representations that fall under any of the following items for the transaction of goods or services the business operator supplies:

Article 6(1)When the Prime Minister intends to make restrictions or prohibitions under the provisions of Article 4, or designations under the provisions of item (iii) of the preceding Article, or to amend or abolish the designations, the Prime Minister must hold a public hearing and hear the opinions of relevant business operators and the public as well as the opinion of the Consumer Commission, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order,

(2)The restrictions and prohibitions, and designations, and amendment and abolition prescribed in the preceding paragraph are to be made by public notice.

Article 7(1)When a business operator commits an act in violation of the restrictions or prohibition under the provisions of Article 4 or the provisions of Article 5, the Prime Minister may give an order to the business operator on the matters necessary to suspend that act or prevent them from once again committing that act, or giving a public notice relating to giving the order. The order may be given to the following persons even if the act of violation has already ceased:

(2)When the Prime Minister finds it necessary for determining whether a representation that a business operator has made falls under Article 5, item (i), regarding the order given under the provisions of the preceding paragraph (referred to as "order for measures" below), the Prime Minister may specify a period of time and request the business operator who has made that representation to submit materials indicating reasonable grounds that support the representation. In such a case, if the business operator has failed to submit the materials, the representation is deemed to fall under that item, when applying the provisions of that paragraph.

(3)An order for measures is issued by serving a certified copy of the written order for measures.

Article 8(1)If a business operator commits an act in violation of the provisions of Article 5 (excluding acts concerning representations that fall under item (iii) of that Article; referred to as the "acts subject to administrative monetary penalty" below), the Prime Minister must order the business operator to pay administrative monetary penalty to the national treasury in an amount equivalent to the amount obtained by multiplying the sales amount calculated by the method specified by Cabinet Order for the goods or services related to the acts subject to administrative monetary penalty which were traded during the period subject to administrative monetary penalty; provided, however, that the Prime Minister may not order the payment if it is found that the business operator had no knowledge of the fact that the representations related to the acts subject to administrative monetary penalty falls under one of the following items throughout the period when the acts subject to administrative monetary penalty has been committed, and, that the lack of knowledge was not due to gross negligence, or if the amount of the penalty is one million five hundred thousand yen or less:

(2)The "period subject to administrative monetary penalty" prescribed in the preceding paragraph means the period during which acts subject to administrative monetary penalty have been committed (if the business operator has conducted transactions of goods or services related to the acts subject to administrative monetary penalty in the period between the day when they discontinued the acts subject to administrative monetary penalty and the day on which six months have passed after discontinuing those acts (if the business operator has taken the measures specified by Cabinet Office Order as measures for eliminating the risk of representations related to the acts subject to administrative monetary penalty to unfairly induce customers and hinder the voluntary and rational choice-making by general consumers before that day, that day) the period to which the period until the transaction was last conducted after the acts subject to administrative monetary penalty has been discontinued is added, and if that period exceeds three years, for three years retroactive from the last day of that period).

(3)When the Prime Minister finds it necessary for determining whether the representation made by a business operator falls under Article 5, item (i) in relation to the order under the provisions of paragraph (1) (referred to as the "payment order for administrative monetary penalty" below), the Prime Minister may specify a period and request the business operator that has made the representation to submit materials indicating reasonable grounds for supporting the representation. In such a case, if the business operator fails to submit the materials, the representation is presumed to fall under that item for applying the provisions of that paragraph.

(4)When the Prime Minister orders the payment of administrative monetary penalty pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), and the business operator fails to report the facts that are to be the basis for calculating the administrative monetary penalty related to the acts subject to administrative monetary penalty, despite the fact that the Prime Minister has requested the business operator to make a report under the provisions of Article 25, paragraph (1), the Prime Minister may make an estimate by using a reasonable method provided by Cabinet Office Order, and make a payment order for administrative monetary penalty in the following manner; the amount of sales specified in paragraph (1) during the period subject to administrative monetary penalty of the business operator during which the facts that are the basis for the calculation of the administrative monetary penalty may not be ascertained because those facts were not reported, using materials or other materials obtained from the business operator, or from other business operators supplying goods or services concerning the acts subject to administrative monetary penalty, or from other business operators receiving those goods or services.

(5)When a business operator has received payment orders for administrative monetary penalty in the past ten years retroactive from the base date (limited to cases in which the payment orders for administrative monetary penalty have become final and binding), and, has committed an act subject to administrative monetary penalty on or after the date of the payment orders for administrative monetary penalty, the term "three one-hundredth" in the that paragraph is deemed to be replaced with "four point five one-hundredth" regarding the application of paragraph (1).

(6)The "base date" prescribed in the preceding paragraph means the earliest date among the dates on which the following acts has been conducted with respect to the case concerning the acts subject to administrative monetary penalty prescribed in that paragraph.

Article 9In the case referred to in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article (including the case that is applied by the deemed replacement of terms pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (5) of that Article; the same applies below in this Section), if the business operator has reported the facts that fall under the acts subject to monetary penalty to the Prime Minister pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order, the Prime Minister must reduce the administrative monetary penalty by the amount obtained by multiplying fifty one-hundredth of the administrative monetary penalty calculated pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of that Article; provided, however, that this does not apply if the report is made in anticipation of a payment order for monetary penalty to be issued because an investigation has been conducted for the acts subject to monetary penalty.

Article 10(1)When there is a request from a general consumer who has conducted a transaction of goods or services during the period subject to administrative monetary penalty prescribed in Article 8, paragraph (2), and who is specified pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order, if a person who has received a notice under the provisions of Article 15, paragraph (1) seeks to implement a measure to deliver an amount of money that is equivalent to or greater than the amount obtained by multiplying the purchase amount calculated by the method specified by Cabinet Order by three one-hundredth (including prepaid payment instruments referred to in Article 3, paragraph (1), item (i) of the Payment Services Act (Act No. 59 of 2009) issued by a third-party type issuer prescribed in paragraph (7) of that Article and other payment instruments specified by Cabinet Office Order, and conforms to the criteria specified by Cabinet Office Order as those that may be normally used in the same manner as money (referred to as "payment instruments other than money" below in this paragraph) (when taking measures of delivering payment instruments other than money, limited to those to be taken for a person who has consented to be delivered payment means other than money; referred to as "refund measures" below in this Article and the following Article), the person may obtain approval for the measures by preparing a plan on refund measures they seek to implement and submit the plan to the Prime Minister (referred to as the "planned refund measures" below in this Article) (referred to as the "plan for implementing refund measures" below in this Article) by the submission deadline of the written explanation prescribed in Article 15, paragraph (1), pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

(2)The following matters must be entered in the plan for implementing refund measures:

(3)The plan for implementing refund measures may state the name of the person to whom the refund measures has already been implemented before applying for the approval referred to in paragraph (1), the amount of the money delivered to that person and its calculation method, and other matters prescribed by Cabinet Office Order as those related to the refund measures implemented before the application.

(4)Pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order, if a person who applied for the approval referred to in paragraph (1) has implemented the refund measures after the application and before receiving a disposition for the application, the person must report to the Prime Minister the name of the person subject to the refund measures, the amount of the money delivered to that person and its calculation method, and other matters prescribed by Cabinet Office Order as those related to the refund measures, without delay.

(5)When an application for the approval referred to in paragraph (1) has been made, the Prime Minister must not approve that application unless the plan for implementing refund measures conforms to all of the following requirements:

(6)A person who has received the approval referred to in paragraph (1) (referred to as the "approved business operator" below in this Article and the following Article) must obtain an approval from the Prime Minister when seeking to change the plan for implementing refund measures for which the approval has been granted, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

(7)The provisions of paragraph (5) apply mutatis mutandis to the approval referred to in the preceding paragraph.

(8)If the Prime Minister finds that the refund measures by an approved business operator are not being implemented in conformity with the approved plan for implementing refund measures (if changes under the provisions of paragraph (6) has been approved, the changed plan; referred to as the "approved implementation plan for refund measures" in paragraphs (1) and (2) of the following Article), the Prime Minister must revoke the approval referred to in paragraph (1) (including the approval of changes under the provisions of paragraph (6); simply referred to as the "approval" in the following paragraph and the proviso to paragraph (10)).

(9)When granting an approval, or revoking an approval pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Prime Minister is to promptly notify the person subject to the disposition to that effect in writing.

(10)Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 8, paragraph (1), if the Prime Minister has granted the approval referred to in paragraph (1), the Prime Minister may not order the approved business operator to pay administrative monetary penalty until the deadline for making the report prescribed in paragraph (1) of the following Article; provided, however, that this does not apply if the approval has been revoked pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (8).

Article 11(1)An approved business operator (excluding those for whom the approval referred to in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article has been revoked under the provisions of paragraph (8) of that Article (including the approval of changes prescribed in the provisions of paragraph (6) of that Article); the same applies in paragraph (3)) must report to the Prime Minister the results of the refund measures for the approved implementation plan for refund measures implemented after obtaining the approval referred to in paragraph (1) of that Article, within one week after the expiration of the implementation period prescribed in paragraph (2), item (i) of that Article, which is stated in the approved implementation plan for refund measures, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

(2)In the case referred to in Article 8, paragraph (1), if the Prime Minister finds that the refund measures implemented after obtaining the approval referred to in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article has been implemented in conformity with the approved implementation plan for refund measures based on the report prescribed under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Prime Minister is to deduct the amount calculated pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order as money delivered through the refund measures (if the approved implementation plan for refund measures states the matters prescribed in paragraph (3) of that Article or the report prescribed in the provisions of paragraph (4) of that Article is made, including the refund measures related to the matters or report) from the amount of administrative monetary penalty calculated pursuant to the provisions of Article 8, paragraph (1) or Article 9. In such a case, if the amount after deducting the amount calculated pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order from the amount of administrative monetary penalty falls below zero, the amount is to be zero.

(3)Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 8, paragraph (1), the Prime Minister is not to order the approved business operator to pay administrative monetary penalty, if the amount of administrative monetary penalty calculated pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph becomes less than ten thousand yen. In such a case, the Prime Minister is to promptly notify the approved business operator to that effect in writing.

Article 12(1)A person who has received a payment order for administrative monetary penalty must pay the administrative monetary penalty calculated pursuant to the provisions of Article 8, paragraph (1) or (4), Article 9, or paragraph (2) of the preceding Article.

(2)If the amount of administrative monetary penalty calculated pursuant to the provisions of Article 8, paragraph (1) or (4), Article 9, or paragraph (2) of the preceding Article has a fraction of less than ten thousand yen, the fraction is rounded down to the nearest ten thousand yen.

(3)If a business operator who has committed acts subject to administrative monetary penalty is a corporation, and the corporation has ceased to exist as a result of the merger, the acts subject to administrative monetary penalty committed by that corporation are deemed to be acts subject to administrative monetary penalty committed by the surviving corporation, or the corporation established as a result of the merger, and the provisions of Article 8 through the preceding Article, and the preceding two paragraphs and the following paragraph apply.

(4)If a business operator that has committed an act subject to administrative monetary penalty is a corporation, and the corporation has transferred all of the business connected with the act subject to administrative monetary penalty to one subsidiary or multiple subsidiaries, etc. (meaning a subsidiary or parent company of a business operator (meaning another company that has a company as its subsidiary; the same applies below in this paragraph), or another company whose parent company is the same as that for the business operator: the same applies below in this paragraph) on or after the day the collection of reports, etc. was made for the case related to acts subject to administrative monetary penalty (if the collection of reports, etc. has not been commenced, the day on which the corporation received the notice under the provisions of Article 15, paragraph (1) on the act subject to administrative monetary penalty; the same applies below in this paragraph), or the corporation (limited to a company) has one subsidiary or multiple subsidiaries succeed to all of the business related to acts subject to administrative monetary penalty through a split on or after the starting date for the case on the act subject to administrative monetary penalty, and, has disappeared due to grounds other than merger, the act subject to administrative monetary penalty committed by the corporation is deemed to be an act subject to administrative monetary penalty committed by the subsidiaries, etc. that have been transferred all or part of the business, or has succeeded to all or part of the business through a split (referred to as the "subsidiaries, etc. that has succeeded to the specified business " below in this paragraph) and the provisions of Article 8 through the preceding Article and the preceding three paragraphs apply. In such a case, if there are two or more subsidiaries, etc. succeeding to a specified business, the term "to the business operator" in Article 8, paragraph (1) is deemed to be replaced with "to the subsidiary, etc. that has succeeded to the specified business (meaning the subsidiary, etc. that has succeeded to the specified business prescribed in Article 12, paragraph (4); the same applies below in this paragraph), jointly and severally with another subsidiary, etc., that has succeeded to the specified business that has received an order pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph, and the phrase "a person that has received..., ...jointly and severally with...Article 8, paragraph (1)" in paragraph (1) is deemed to be replaced with "the subsidiary, etc. that has succeeded to the specified business (meaning the subsidiary, etc. that has succeeded to the specified business prescribed in paragraph (4); the same applies below in this paragraph), jointly and severally with another subsidiary, etc. that has succeeded to the specified business that has received the order under the provisions of Article 8, paragraph (1), ...that paragraph ".

(5)The term "subsidiary" prescribed in the preceding paragraph means another company for which a company possesses a majority of voting rights (excluding voting rights for shares that may not be exercised on all of the matters that may be adopted at a shareholders meeting, and including voting rights for shares for which shareholders are deemed to have voting rights pursuant to the provisions of Article 879, paragraph (3) of the Companies Act (Act No. 86 of 2005); the same applies below in this paragraph) of all shareholders (including all members; the same applies below in this paragraph). In such a case, another company for which the company and its subsidiary or multiple subsidiaries, or its subsidiary or multiple subsidiaries possess the majority of the voting rights of all shareholders, is deemed to be a subsidiary of the company.

(6)In the cases referred to in paragraphs (3) and (4), necessary matters for applying the provisions of Article 8, paragraphs (2) through (6), and Article 9 through the preceding Article are specified by Cabinet Order.

(7)If five years have passed since the day when a person has ceased to commit an act subject to administrative monetary penalty, the Prime Minister may not order the person to pay administrative monetary penalty for the act subject to administrative monetary penalty.

Article 13When the Prime Minister intends to issue a payment order for administrative monetary penalty, the Prime Minister must grant the person that is to be the addressee of the payment order for administrative monetary penalty an opportunity for explanation.

Article 14(1)The explanation is to be made by submitting a written statement of explanation (referred to as the "written explanation" in paragraph (1) of the following Article), excluding the case in which the Prime Minister has approved the explanation to be made orally.

(2)When making an explanation, documentary evidence or an article of evidence may be submitted.

Article 15(1)The Prime Minister must notify the following matters to the person that is to be the addressee of a payment order for administrative monetary penalty, by giving a considerable period of time before the deadline for the submission of a written explanation (if an opportunity for an oral explanation is to be granted, the date and time of the oral explanation):

(2)If the whereabouts of the person who is to be the addressee of a payment order for administrative monetary penalty is unknown, the Prime Minister may give a notice under the provisions of the preceding paragraph by taking the measures of keeping a document stating the name of that person (if the person is a corporation, its name and the name of its representative), the matters stated in item (iii) of that paragraph, and the matters stated in the items of that paragraph entered by the Prime Minister (referred to as "public notice matters" below in this paragraph), readily available for inspection by a large number of unspecified persons by a method prescribed by Cabinet Office Order, and also taking the measures of posting the document stating the public notice matters on the bulletin board at the Consumer Affairs Agency, or displaying the public notice matters on the visual screen of a computer installed in the office of the Consumer Affairs Agency. In such a case, the notice is deemed to have reached the person two weeks after the date on which the measures have been taken.

Article 16(1)A person who has received the notice under the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article (including a person who is deemed to have received the notice pursuant to the provisions of the second sentence of paragraph (2) of that Article; referred to as the "person concerned" in the following paragraph and paragraph (4)) may appoint an agent.

(2)Each agent may perform any and all acts relating to the explanation on behalf of the person concerned.

(3)The qualifications of an agent must be proved in writing.

(4)When an agent loses their qualifications, the person concerned who has appointed that agent must give a written notice to that effect to the Prime Minister.

Article 17(1)A payment order for administrative monetary penalty must be given in writing, and must state the amount of administrative monetary penalty required to be paid, the basis for calculating the administrative monetary penalty, and the act subject to administrative monetary penalty for the administrative monetary penalty, and the payment deadline.

(2)A payment order for administrative monetary penalty takes effect when a certified copy of the written payment order for administrative monetary penalty has been served on the addressee.

(3)The payment deadline of the administrative monetary penalty referred to in paragraph (1) is the day on which seven months has passed from the date of issuance of the written payment order for administrative monetary penalty.

Article 18(1)If a person has failed to pay administrative monetary penalty by the payment deadline, the Prime Minister must make a demand for payment by specifying a deadline in a written demand.

(2)If the Prime Minister has made a demand under the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Prime Minister may collect a delinquent charge calculated based on the number of days from the day after the payment deadline to the day on which the administrative monetary penalty is paid, at a rate of 14.5 percent per annum on the amount of the administrative monetary penalty concerning the demand; provided, however, that this does not apply if the delinquent charge amounts to less than one thousand yen.

(3)If the amount of delinquent charge calculated pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph has a fraction of less than one hundred yen, the amount is rounded down to the nearest hundred yen.

Article 19(1)If a person who has received a demand pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article fails to pay the amount they are required to pay by the designated deadline, a payment order for administrative monetary penalty is executed by order of the Prime Minister. This order has the same effect as an enforceable title of obligation.

(2)A payment order for administrative monetary penalty is executed in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Execution Act (Act No. 4 of 1979) and other laws and regulations on compulsory execution procedures.

(3)If the Prime Minister finds it necessary for the execution of a payment order for administrative monetary penalty, the Prime Minister may make inquiries to public offices or public and private organizations, and request those offices and organizations to report necessary matters.

Article 20In applying the provisions of the Bankruptcy Act (Act No. 75 of 2004), Civil Rehabilitation Act (Act No. 225 of 1999), Corporate Reorganization Act (Act No. 154 of 2002), and Act on Special Treatment of Corporate Reorganization Proceedings and Other Insolvency Proceedings of Financial Institutions (Act No. 95 of 1996), the right to claim administrative monetary penalty for payment orders for administrative monetary penalty and the right to claim delinquent charges under the provisions of Article 18, paragraph (2) are deemed to be the right to claim civil fine.

Article 21The provisions of Chapter III of the Administrative Procedure Act (Act No. 88 of 1993) do not apply to payment orders for administrative monetary penalty issued by the Prime Minister and other dispositions under the provisions of this Section; provided, however, that this does not apply to the application of the provisions of Article 12 and Article 14 of that Act related to the provisions of Article 10, paragraph (8).

Article 22(1)Business operators must develop necessary systems for properly administering the maximum amount and total amount of the premiums, and other matters on provision of premiums, and matters on representations related to the quality, standard, and other content of goods or services, in order to prevent unfairly inducing customers and hindering voluntary and rational choice-making by general consumers, by providing premiums or making representations for transactions of goods or services the business operators supply.

(2)The Prime Minister is to establish necessary guidelines for appropriately and effectively implementing the measures business operators should take based on the provisions of the preceding paragraph (simply referred to as "the guidelines" below in this Article).

(3)When establishing the guidelines, the Prime Minister must deliberate with the minister who has jurisdiction over the business of the business operator and the Fair Trade Commission, and hear the opinion of the Consumer Commission, in advance.

(4)When the Prime Minister establishes the guidelines, the Prime Minister is to publish the guidelines without delay.

(5)The provisions of the preceding two paragraphs apply mutatis mutandis to changes made to the guidelines.

Article 23If the Prime Minister finds it necessary for appropriately and effectively implementing the measures required to be taken by business operators, the Prime Minister may provide necessary guidance and advice on those measures to the business operators, based on the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article.

Article 24(1)If the Prime Minister finds that a business operator has failed to take the measures that should be taken without legitimate grounds, the Prime Minister may issue a recommendation that the business operator should take the measures necessary for administering the provision of the premiums, or making the representations, based on the provisions of Article 22, paragraph (1).

(2)If the Prime Minister has issued a recommendation under the provisions of the preceding paragraph and the business operator does not comply with the recommendation, the Prime Minister may publicize that fact.

Article 25(1)When the Prime Minister finds it necessary for enforcing this Act, the Prime Minister may have the business operator or other business operators who have a business relationship with that business operator make a report on their business or property, or order them to submit books and documents and other objects, or may have officials enter offices or other places of business of the business operator, or of other business operators who have a business relationship with that business operator, and inspect their books, documents, and other articles, or ask question to the persons concerned.

(2)An official conducting an on-site inspection pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph must carry an identification card and present it to the persons concerned.

(3)The authority under the provisions of paragraph (1) must not be construed as being granted for the purpose of a criminal investigation.

Article 26When there are sufficient facts to suspect the existence of an act in violation of the restriction or prohibition under the provisions of Article 4 or the provisions of Article 5, the Prime Minister may give notice using a document stating the following matters to the person who is performing the acts that caused the suspicion, for ensuring the voluntary and rational choice-making of goods and services by general consumers; provided, however, that this does not apply after giving a notice under the provisions of Article 30 or a notice under the provisions of Article 15, paragraph (1) of the Administrative Procedure Act related to order for measures:

Article 27(1)When a person who has been given a notice under the provisions of the preceding Article seeks to formulate and implement necessary measures to correct the acts that caused suspicion and their impact, they may prepare a plan on the measures sought to be implemented (referred to as the "corrective measures" below in this Article and Article 29, paragraph (1), item (i)) (referred to as the "corrective measures plan" below in this Article and that item) and submit the plan to the Prime Minister within 60 days of receiving that notice and apply for its approval, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

(2)A corrective measures plan must state the following matters:

(3)When an application for approval under the provisions of paragraph (1) is made, the Prime Minister is to grant the approval when the Prime Minister finds that the corrective measures plan conforms to all of the following requirements:

(4)The approval referred to in the preceding paragraph must be made in writing.

(5)The approval referred to in paragraph (3) takes effect by serving a certified copy of the certificate of approval to the addressee.

(6)When an application for approval under the provisions of paragraph (1) has been made, and the Prime Minister finds that the corrective measures plan does not conform to any of the items of paragraph (3), the Prime Minister must deny the application.

(7)The provisions of paragraphs (4) and (5) apply mutatis mutandis to the disposition under the provisions of the preceding paragraph. In such a case, the term "certificate" in paragraph (5) is deemed to be replaced with "non-approval certificate".

(8)When a person who has obtained the approval referred to in paragraph (3) seeks to change the corrective measures plan related to the approval, the person must obtain the approval of the Prime Minister pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

(9)The provisions of paragraphs (3) through (7) apply mutatis mutandis to the approval of the changes referred to in the preceding paragraph.

Article 28The provisions of Article 7, paragraph (1) and Article 8, paragraph (1) do not apply to acts that has caused suspicion concerning the approval when the Prime Minister has granted the approval referred to in paragraph (3) of the preceding Article (including the approval for changes referred to in paragraph (8) of that Article; the same applies in the following Article); provided, however, that this does not apply if the approval has been revoked under the provisions of paragraph (1) of the following Article.

Article 29(1)The Prime Minister must revoke the approval referred to in paragraph (3) of Article 27 if the case falls under any of the following items:

(2)The provisions of Article 27, paragraphs (4) and (5) apply mutatis mutandis to the revocation of the approval referred to in paragraph (3) of that Article under the provisions of the preceding paragraph. In such a case, the term "certificate" in paragraph (5) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "written revocation".

(3)When the approval referred to in Article 27, paragraph (3) has been revoked under the provisions of paragraph (1), and the revocation was made on or after the date two years before the expiration of the period prescribed in Article 12, paragraph (7), the payment order for administrative monetary penalty for the act that caused the suspicion related to the approval may be issued even during the period of two years from the date of that revocation, notwithstanding the provisions of that paragraph.

Article 30Even when there are no longer any sufficient facts to suspect the existence of an act in violation of restriction or prohibition under the provisions of Article 4, or in violation of the provisions of Article 5, the Prime Minister may notify the persons stated in item (i) of the matters stated in item (ii) in writing on the act that has caused the suspicion, when the Prime Minister finds it necessary for ensuring voluntary and rational choice-making of goods and services by general consumers; provided, however, that this does not apply if a notice under the provisions of Article 30 of the Administrative Procedure Act related to order for measures, or a notice under the provisions of Article 15, paragraph (1) has been given.

Article 31(1)When a person who has received a notice under the provisions of the preceding Article intends to formulate and implement necessary measures to correct the impacts of the act that has caused the suspicion (referred to as "impact corrective measures" below in this Article and Article 33, paragraph (1), item (i)), the person may prepare a plan (referred to as the "impact corrective measures plan" below in this Article and Article 33, paragraph (1), item (i)) on the measures to be implemented and submit the plan to the Prime Minister within 60 days from receiving that notice, and apply for approval of the Prime Minister pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

(2)An impact corrective measures plan must state the following matters:

(3)When an application for approval has been made under the provisions of paragraph (1), the Prime Minister is to grant the approval when the Prime Minister finds that the impact corrective measures plan conforms to all of the following requirements:

(4)The provisions of Article 27, paragraphs (4) and (5) apply mutatis mutandis to the approval referred to in the preceding paragraph.

(5)When an application for approval under the provisions of paragraph (1) has been filed and the Prime Minister finds that the plan on impact corrective measures does not conform to any of the items of paragraph (3), the Prime Minister must deny that application.

(6)The provisions of Article 27, paragraphs (4) and (5) apply mutatis mutandis to the disposition under the provisions of the preceding paragraph. In such a case, the term "certificate" in paragraph (5) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "non-approval certificate".

(7)When a person who has obtained the approval referred to in paragraph (3) intends to change the plan on impact corrective measures related to that approval, the person must obtain the approval of the Prime Minister pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Office Order.

(8)The provisions of paragraphs (3) through (6) apply mutatis mutandis to the approval of the changes referred to in the preceding paragraph.

Article 32When the Prime Minister has granted the approval referred to in paragraph (3) of the preceding Article (including approval for changes under paragraph (7) of that Article; the same applies in the following Article), the provisions of Article 7, paragraph (1) and Article 8, paragraph (1) do not apply to the acts that caused the suspicion related to the approval; provided, however, that this does not apply when revocation under the provisions of paragraph (1) of the following Article has been made.

Article 33(1)The Prime Minister must revoke the approval referred to in paragraph (3) of Article 31, if the case falls under any of the following items:

(2)The provisions of Article 27, paragraphs (4) and (5) apply mutatis mutandis to the revocation of the approval referred to in Article 31, paragraph (3) made under the provisions of the preceding paragraph. In such a case, the term "certificate" in paragraph (5) of Article 27 is deemed to be replaced with "written revocation".

(3)When the approval referred to in Article 31, paragraph (3) has been revoked under the provisions of paragraph (1), and the revocation has been made on or after the day that is two years before the expiration of the period prescribed in Article 12, paragraph (7), a payment order for administrative monetary penalty on the act that caused suspicion concerning that approval may be issued even during the period of two years from the date of the revocation, notwithstanding the provisions of that paragraph.