Article 1.　A lawyer has for his mission the protection of the fundamental human rights and realization of social justice.

2　A lawyer shall perform, in accordance with the mission as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, his function sincerely in his efforts for maintaining the social order and improving the legal system.

Article 2.　A lawyer shall always strive to preserve a profound culture and build a high character, and be well acquainted with laws, ordinances and legal business.

Article 3.　A lawyer shall perform, at the request of a party and other persons concerned, or government or public offices, the business dealing with litigation cases, non-litigation cases, raising of complaints against administrative offices such as petitions, demand of examinations and raising of objections, and other general legal business.

2　A lawyer may, as a matter of course, perform the business of the patent attorney and taxation affairs agent.

Article 4.　One who has finished study as a judicial apprentice shall be qualified for a lawyer.

Article 5.　A person mentioned below may be qualified for a lawyer, notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding Article:

Article 6.　Any person as mentioned below shall not be qualified for a lawyer irrespective of those provisions as mentioned in the preceding two Articles:

Article 7.　A person who is qualified for a lawyer of a foreign country and has a proper knowledge about laws of Japan, may perform those matters as specified in Article 3 under the approval of the Supreme Court, with the exception of such a person as mentioned in the preceding Article.

2　A person having a qualification for a lawyer in a foreign country, may perform those matters as mentioned in Article 3 relating to a foreign national or laws of the foreign countries, under the approval of the Supreme Court, with the exception of such a person as mentioned in the preceding Article.

3　The Supreme Court may conduct an examination or selection in giving the approval as provided in the preceding two paragraphs.

4　To one who has received the approval as provided in paragraph 1 or 2 of this Article, provisions of Articles 1, 2, Article 20, paragraph 3, Articles 23 to 29 inclusive, shall apply mutatis mutandis.

5　The Supreme Court may cancel its approval as provided in paragraph 1 or 2 of this Article, when it may be deemed necessary.

6　The Supreme Court cannot give or cancel the approval as provided in paragraph 1 or 2 without giving a hearing to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

Article 8.　A lawyer shall be required of having his name registered in the name-list kept in the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

Article 9.　One who wishes to become a lawyer shall request the Japan Federation of Bar Associations to have his name registered through the Bar Association with which he wants to join.

Article 10.　When a lawyer is going to change the Bar Association to which he belongs, he shall request the Japan Federation of Bar Associations to have his registration changed, through the Bar Association with which he wants to join newly.

2　When a lawyer asks for the change of his registration, he shall submit the report to that effect to the Bar Association to which he belongs.

Article 11.　In case a lawyer is going to cease his business as a lawyer, he shall request the Japan Federation of Bar Associations to have his registration cancelled, through the Bar Association to which he belongs.

Article 12.　When a Bar Association deems a person derogatory to its good order or reputation or deems a person unfit for a lawyer's practice for any of the undermentioned reasons, it may refuse to forward his request for registration or change of registration, upon the decision of the Qualification Examination Committee:

2　The preceding paragraph shall apply to a person who has occupied a public servant post requiring full-time service in the area of the said Bar Association within one year before his request for registration or change of registration, of which it is feared to be specially inappropriate to allow him to conduct business as a lawyer within the said district.

3　When the Bar Association refuses to recommend the application in conformity with the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, it shall notify it without delay to the person who has requested for registration or change of registration.

Article 13.　When a lawyer has made a false report on the matters specified in paragraph 1, items 1 and 2, and paragraph 2 of the preceding Article, the Bar Association may, upon the decision of the Qualification Examination Committee, request the Japan Federation of Bar Associations to cancel the registration.

2　When the Bar Association has requested for the cancel provided in the preceding paragraph, it shall notify it without delay to the lawyer.

Article 14.　Any person, who has been refused to forward his request for registration or change of registration or whose registration was requested to be cancelled, in accordance with the provisions of the preceding two Articles, may demur to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations within thirty (30) days from the day when he received such notification.

2　In case the Bar Association concerned has not forwarded the request for registration or change of registration to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations even after three months have elapsed since it received the said request, the person who requested may, by considering its as having been refused, demur in the manner as mentioned in the preceding paragraph within thirty (30) days after three months have elapsed.

3　In case upon receiving the demur as mentioned in the preceding two paragraphs, the Japan Federation of Bar Associations finds a due reason for such demur upon the decision of the Qualification Examination Committee, it shall order to forward the request for registration or change of registration, or return the request for cancel of registration, while in case it finds no due reasons for such demur it shall reject it.

4　In case a step as mentioned in the preceding paragraph has been taken by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, it shall notify it without delay to the person who has presented such a demur.

Article 15.　When the Japan Federation of Bar Association receives the forwarding of request of registration or change of registration from a Bar Association, it may refuse such registration or change of registration upon the decision of the Qualification Examination Committee, if it finds it proper to refuse it for the reasons as specified in Article 12, paragraphs 1 and 2.

2　In case the Japan Federation of Bar Associations refuses the registration or change of registration in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, it shall notify it without delay to the person who has asked for the registration or change of registration and to the Bar Association which recommended it.

Article 16.　The person whose demur was rejected in line with the provision of Article 14, whose request for registration or change of registration was refused in accordance with the provision of the preceding Article, may institute suit with the Tokyo High Court within thirty (30) days from the date when he received the notification as mentioned above for the reason of illegality or injustice of such decision.

2　In case the Japan Federation of Bar Associations has not taken a step as mentioned in paragraph 3 of Article 14 within three (3) months even after its receiving the demur as mentioned in paragraph 1 or 2 of the same Article, or has not made the registration or change of registration even after three (3) months have elapsed since it received the request thereof, the person who demurred or requested may institute a suit of the preceding paragraph, by considering his demur of request as having been rejected or refused, within thirty (30) days after three months have elapsed.

3　The suit as mentioned in the preceding two paragraphs shall be raised against the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

4　The Court may, if it deems it necessary, let the Bar Association, which has interest in the result of the said suit, participate in the case, through the exercise of its official authority.

5　The Court may conduct the investigations of evidences through its official authority, if it deems it necessary;provided, however, that it shall hear the opinions of the party concerned as to the result of the said investigations of evidences.

6　The suit as mentioned in paragraph 1 or 2 shall be handled in the manner as provided for in the Code of Civil Procedure (Law No.29 of 1890) besides this Article.

Article 17.　The Japan Federation of Bar Associations shall cancel the registration of the name-list of lawyers on the following occasions:

Article 18.　In case the Bar Association finds any due reasons for cancel of registration of a lawyer, to which he has been attached, in the name-list of lawyers, it shall report it without delay to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

Article 19.　Registration, change of registration and cancel of registration in the name-list of lawyers shall be notified to the Bar Association to which the lawyer concerned is attached, by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations without delay, and at the same time shall be notified publicly through the Official Gazette.

Article 20.　The office of a lawyer shall be called a law office.

2　A law office shall be set up within the area under the jurisdiction of the Bar Association to which the said lawyer is attached.

3　A lawyer shall not establish two or more law offices, under whatever name. However, he may work at the law office of another lawyer.

Article 21.　The establishment or transfer of a law office of a lawyer shall be notified to the Bar Association to which he belongs and to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations without delay.

Article 22.　A lawyer shall observe the regulations of the Bar Association to which he is attached and of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

Article 23.　A lawyer or a person who was previously a lawyer shall have the right and duty of maintaining the secrecy of any facts he came to know in performing his business, except in the case where laws define otherwise.

Article 24.　A lawyer shall not refuse, without due reasons, to perform the matters as designated by the government or public offices in line with the provision of the laws and ordinances, or the matters as designated by the Bar Association to which he is attached or the Japan Federation of Bar Associations in line with the provisions of the latter's regulations.

Article 25.　A lawyer shall be barred from performing his business relating to the cases mentioned below;provided, however, that so far as the case mentioned in item 3 is concerned, if he obtains the consent of the person whose case he has accepted, he shall not be barred:

Article 26.　A lawyer shall not receive, demand or promise to receive, any profits from the other party, in connection with the cases he has been entrusted.

Article 27.　A lawyer shall not take over any cases through the good offices of those persons who violated the provisions of Articles 72, 73 and 74, and shall not let such person make use of his name.

Article 28.　A lawyer shall not take over any rights in dispute.

Article 29.　When a lawyer will not agree to a request for a case, he shall notify it to the client without delay.

Article 30.　A lawyer shall not concurrently assume any public post with payment, with the exception of the case where he becomes a member of the Diet or local public communities'assemblies or other public servants in which he is not required full-time service, or he performs function, relating to any specific matter, as entrusted by the government or public office.

2　A lawyer shall be barred, without the permission of the Bar Association to which he is attached, from performing any business with the aim of obtaining profits, making himself an employee of the operator of such a business, or making himself an employee, director or staff of any juridical person having profits for its object.

Article 31.　In view of the mission and function of lawyers, it shall be the object of a Bar Association to function in the business relating to the guidance, liaison and supervision of members, with a view to maintaining their dignity and planning for the improvement and progress of the lawyers'business.

2　A Bar Association shall be a juridical person.

Article 32.　A Bar Association shall be established in the area under the jurisdiction of each district court.

Article 33.　A Bar Association shall define its regulations under the approval of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

2　The following matters shall be included in the regulations of the Bar Association:

3　Any change of those matters as included in the preceding paragraph shall be approved by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

Article 34.　A Bar Association shall be formed through registration of its foundation in its locality.

2　The following matters shall be included in registration for the foundation of the Bar Association:

3　In case a Bar Association is dissolved, it shall register its dissolution within two weeks from the day thereof.

4　Any change of those matters as mentioned in the preceding two paragraphs shall be registered within two weeks after such change occurred.

5　Matters that should be registered by the Bar Association cannot stand against a third party until they have been registered.

6　The necessary matters concerning registration procedures of Bar Associations shall be provided by Cabinet Orders, besides the provisions provided in this Law.

Article 35.　A representative of a Bar Association shall be a chairman thereof.

2　In case of any hitch or vacancy of a chairman, the vice-chairman shall temporarily perform the functions as defined in this Law and the regulations of the Bar Association.

3　The chairman and vice-chairman shall be made officials who are engaged in public duties under the provisions of laws and ordinances.

Article 36.　The person who has been registered in the name-list of lawyers or whose registration has been changed in the said name-list, shall naturally be made a member of the Bar Association which he is going to join, and in case his registration has been changed he shall thereby withdraw from the Bar Association to which he was previously attached.

2　The person whose registration has been cancelled at the request in conformity with the provisions of Article 11, shall naturally withdraw from the Bar Association to which he has been attached.

Article 37.　A Bar Association shall hold a regular general meeting every year.

2　A Bar Association may convene an extraordinary general meeting in case, it deems it necessary.

Article 38.　A Bar Association shall report to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations on resolutions of the general meeting and its officers'appointment and retirement.

Article 39.　Any change in the regulations of a Bar Association, estimate budgets and settlement of accounts thereof, shall be determined through the resolution of its general meeting.

Article 40.　In case any resolution passed in the general meeting of a Bar Association impairs public interests or violates the provisions of other laws and ordinances or the regulations of the said Bar Association or of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, the Japan Federation of Bar Association may cancel such resolution.

Article 41.　A Bar Association may mediate on the disputes with respect to the functions of a lawyer, at the request of lawyers, the parties concerned, or other persons concerned.

Article 42.　A Bar Association shall reply on the matters consulted or asked by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

2　A Bar Association may present its proposals or reply on the matters consulted, to the government and public offices, with regard to the business of lawyers and other judicial affairs.

Article 43.　In case the change of the area under the jurisdiction of a district court requires the merger of dissolution of a Bar Association or Associations located within the said area, merger or dissolution of said Bar Association or Associations shall be effected through the resolutions in its or their general meeting.

2　In case of merger, the provisions of Articles 100 and 103 of the Commercial Code (Law No.48 of 1899) shall apply mutatis mutandis;to dissolution, the provisions of Articles 73, 74, 75, 76, 78, 79, 80, 82 of the Civil Code (Law No.89 of 1896) and Articles 26 and 27 of the Civil Code Enforcement Law (Law No.11 of 1898) shall apply mutatis mutandis.

3　In case of merger of Bar Associations, lawyers who have been attached to the Bar Association which dissolved itself through the said merger, shall naturally be made the members of the Bar Association which continues to exist after the said merger or has been set up newly through the said merger.

4　The provisions of Article 10, paragraph 1 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the case as mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Article 44.　Bar Associations located in the area under the jurisdiction of the same High Court, may define their rules and establish a Federation of Bar Associations for the purpose of performing specific matters, under the approval of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

Article 45.　Bar Associations throughout the whole country shall set up the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

2　In view of the mission, and function of lawyers it shall be the object of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations to function in the business relating to the guidance, liaison and supervision of lawyers and Bar Associations, with the view of maintaining their dignity and planning for the improvement and progress of the lawyers business.

3　The Japan Federation of Bar Associations shall be juridical person.

Article 46.　The Japan Federation of Bar Associations shall define its regulations.

2　The regulations of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations shall include the following matters:

Article 47.　Lawyers and Bar Associations shall naturally be made the members of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

Article 48.　The Japan Federation of Bar Associations may request government and public offices to have necessary matters investigated relating to the matters concerning the guidance, liaison and supervisions of lawyers and Bar Associations.

Article 49.　The Supreme Court may, in case where it deems it necessary, request the Japan Federation of Bar Association to report on its business, or to investigate into the matters pertaining to lawyers and Bar Associations.

Article 50.　The provisions of Articles 34, 35, 37, 39, and paragraph 2 of Article 42 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

Article 51.　A Qualifications Examination Committee shall be set up in each Bar Association and the Japan Federation of Bar Associations respectively.

2　The Qualifications Examination Committee shall conduct necessary examinations, at the request of the Bar Association where it has been established or the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, on requests for registration or change of registration and cancel of registration.

Article 52.　The Qualifications Examination Committee shall be composed of a chairman, and a number of committeemen.

2　A chairman of the Bar Association or the Japan Federation of Bar Associations where the Qualifications Examination Committee has been established, shall assume chairmanship of the said Committee.

3　Committeemen shall be delegated by the chairman from among lawyers, judges, public procurators and learned and well-experienced persons. However, in the Qualifications Examination Committee of the Bar Association committee members who are judges or public procurators, shall be delegated in accordance with the recommendation of the High Court or the District Court, or a chief procurator of the High Public Procurator's Office or the District Public Procurator's Office where the said Committee is located, and other committee members shall be delegated thereto in accordance with the resolution of the general meeting of the said Bar Association, to which they are attached;while in the Qualifications Examination Committee of the Japan Federation of Bar Association, committee members who are judges or public procurators, shall be delegated in accordance with the recommendation of the Supreme Court or the Procurator-General, and other committee members shall be delegated thereto in accordance with the resolution in the general meeting of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

4　The term of office of committeemen shall be two years, except that of committeemen to fill vacancies which shall be the remaining period of predecessors.

Article 53.　A certain number of reserve Committeemen shall be appointed for the Qualifications Examination Committee.

2　The provisions of paragraph 3 and paragraph 4 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the reserve Committeemen.

3　In case where a Committeemen is prevented from functioning as such or where vacancy occurs to such post, the chairman shall appoint a successor from among such reserve committeemen as have a similar qualification as his or her predecessor

Article 54.　The Chairman shall preside over all affairs of the Committee.

2　The Chairman, committeemen and reserve committeemen shall be made officials who are engaged in public duties under the provisions of laws and ordinances.

Article 55.　The Qualifications Examination Committee may request, in case of necessity in its examination, the persons concerned, government and public offices or other bodies, to give a statement, present data or explanations.

2　The Qualifications Examination Committee, when it deems it proper to refuse a request or the forwarding of a request for registration or change of registration, or when it makes a decision approving a request for cancel of registration as provided for in Article 13, shall previously notify the person concerned to that effect, and shall give him an opportunity to give a statement or to present data regarding the case.

Article 56.　A lawyer shall be punished with disciplinary measures, if he violates this Law or the regulations of the Bar Association to which he is attached or of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, or if he injures the good order or reputation of the said Bar Association, or if he so misconducts himself as to lose his dignity whether concerning or not concerning his public duties.

2　Disciplinary measures shall be enforced by the Bar Association to which he belongs in line with the decision of the Disciplinary Committee.

Article 57.　Disciplinary measures shall be classified into the following four categories:

Article 58.　In the event that anybody considers that due reason exists for punishing a certain lawyer, he may request the Bar Association, to which the said lawyer is attached, to punish the said lawyer with a disciplinary measure, with the explanations of such reasons attached.

2　When the Bar Association assumes that due reasons exist for punishing the lawyer of the said Bar Association, or receives a request as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, it shall ask the Professional Ethics Maintenance Committee to investigate the case.

3　When the Bar Association deems it appropriate to punish the said lawyer according to the investigation by the Professional Ethics Maintenance Committee as provided in the preceding paragraph, it shall ask the Disciplinary Committee to examine the case.

Article 59.　A person against whom a disciplinary measure has been taken may file a protest with the Japan Federation of Bar Associations within 30 days counting from the day on which such measure is taken.

2　The Japan Federation of Bar Associations, upon receiving the objection as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, shall cancel such measures in line with the decision in the Disciplinary Committee, if it found any due reasons for justifying such an objection;while it shall reject such an objection, if it found no due reasons for justifying it.

3　The provisions of Article 14, par.4 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the measure mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Article 60.　The Japan Federation of Bar Associations may of its own violation take disciplinary measures against a lawyer in respect to the cases provided in Article 56, par.1, with the decision of the Disciplinary Committee, when it considers it proper to take such a step.

Article 61.　When the Bar Association fails to punish a lawyer, or does not conclude the procedures for disciplinary measures within a reasonable period, in spite of there having been a request for disciplinary measures against the said lawyer in accordance with the provision of Article 58, paragraph 1, the person who made the request may protest to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations. This shall apply also when the said person considers the disciplinary measures taken by the Disciplinary Committee of the Bar Association as unduly light.

2　In case the Japan Federation of Bar Associations receiving a protest, when it deems the request to be with due reason upon the decision of the Disciplinary Committee, it shall inform the said Bar Association to that effect or take disciplinary measures of its own volition according to the preceding Article;when it deems the request to be of no due reason upon decision of the Disciplinary Committee, it shall reject the request.

3　In respect to the measures in the preceding paragraph the provisions of Article 14, paragraph 4 shall apply mutatis mutandis.

Article 62.　A person whose protest filed under the provision of Article 59 has been rejected, or who has been subjected to the disciplinary measure under the provision of Article 60, may file a suit with the Tokyo High Court on the ground of the illegality or injustice of such measure, within thirty (30) days after receiving notification or measure.

2　The provisions of Article 16, paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6, shall apply mutatis mutandis to the law suit mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Article 63.　A lawyer against whom the procedures for disciplinary measures has been taken, shall not make a request for the change of registration or cancel of registration until the said procedures have been concluded.

Article 64.　Upon the lapse of three years after the emergence of reasons for disciplinary measures, the procedures for disciplinary measures shall not be commenced.

Article 65.　A Disciplinary Committee shall be set up in each Bar Association and the Japan Federation of Bar Associations respectively.

2　The Disciplinary Committee shall conduct necessary examinations relative to disciplinary measures for the lawyer belonging to a Bar Association or the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, where the Disciplinary Committee has been set up at the latter's request.

Article 66.　The Disciplinary Committee shall consist of a chairman and a number of committeemen.

2　The Chairman shall be selected from among committeemen by mutual voting.

3　In case of any trouble on the side of the chairman, another committeemen shall assume chairmanship temporarily in line with the order which shall be defined by the Disciplinary Committee beforehand.

4　The Disciplinary Committee shall have a number of reserve members.

Article 67.　When the Disciplinary Committee has been asked to examine any lawyer, it shall notify it to the lawyer who is going to be examined, upon fixing the date of the examination without delay.

2　The lawyer who is to be examined may present himself on the date for the said examination to make his statement, on condition that he shall obey the instructions to be given by the chairman of the Disciplinary Committee.

3　The provisions of Article 55, paragraph 1 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the examination to be made by the Disciplinary Committee.

Article 68.　The Disciplinary Committee may suspend the disciplinary procedures while criminal procedures are pending on the same count.

Article 69.　The provisions of Article 52 paragraphs 3 and 4, Article 53 paragraphs 2 and 3, and Article 54, with respect to the chairman, committeemen and reserve committeemen of the Qualifications Examination Committee respectively, shall apply mutatis mutandis respectively to the chairman, committeemen and reserve committeemen of the Disciplinary Committee. In this connection, however, the term, "Chairman" as enumerated in Article 52 paragraph 3, shall read "the chairman of the said Bar Association, in case of the Disciplinary Committee of the Bar Association and the chairman of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations in case of the Disciplinary Committee of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations" .

Article 70.　A Professional Ethics Maintenance Committee shall be set up in each Bar Association.

2　A Professional Ethics Maintenance Committee shall conduct the investigations of Article 58 paragraph 2, and other matters concerning the maintenance of discipline of the members of the Bar Association in which it is set up.

3　The members of the Professional Ethics Maintenance Committee shall be mutually elected from among the members of the said Bar Association.

Article 71.　The provisions of Article 52 paragraph 4, Article 54 and Article 55 paragraph 1 and Article 66 paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, shall apply mutatis mutandis to the Professional Ethics Maintenance Committee. However, in this case, "kaicho" (chairman) in Article 54 shall read "i-incho" (chairman).

Article 72.　No person other than a lawyer shall make it his business to handle, with the aim of obtaining reward, legal business of judgement, representation, meditation or conciliation and the like in connection with law suits or non-litigatory cases, and complaints against administrative offices such as petition, demand of examination and raising of objections, etc., except where specially provided by law or where he performs such acts as a part of his proper occupation.

Article 73.　No person shall make it his business to execute the rights he took over from others through litigation, concilliation, reconcilliation or other means.

Article 74.　No person who is not a lawyer shall notice or put down himself as a lawyer or his office as a law office.

2　No person who is not a lawyer shall notice or put down to the effect of handling legal advices and other legal affairs with a view to obtaining the profits.

Article 75.　A person not qualified as a lawyer who has his name registered in the list of lawyers through false declaration to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations shall be punished with penal servitude not exceeding two years or a fine under \50,000

2　Attempts of the crimes of the preceding paragraph shall be punished.

Article 76.　Any person who has violated the provisions of Article 26 (including the case where the same Article is applicable with necessary modifications under Article 7, paragraph 4) shall be punished with penal servitude not exceeding three years.

Article 77.　Persons who violate the provisions of Article 27, Article 28, Article 72 or Article 73 (including the case where the same Article is applicable with necessary modifications under Article 7, paragraph 4) shall be punished with penal servitude not exceeding two years or a fine under \50,000.

Article 78.　In case a representative of a juridical person, or a representative, employee or other staff of a juridical person or a private person has committed a crime in violation of the provisions of Article 72 or 73, relating to the business of the said juridical or private person, the said juridical or private person shall be punished with a fine as prescribed in the preceding Article, while the actual perpetrator shall be punished.

Article 79.　Any person who has violated the provisions of Article 74 shall be punished with a fine not exceeding \50,000.