THE SPECIAL MEASURES LAW CONCERNING
THE HANDLING OF LEGAL BUSINESS BY FOREIGN LAWYERS
(The Foreign Lawyers Law)

Chapter I. General Provisions

(Purposes)

Article 1. The purposes of this law are to ensure the stability in relation to international business law affairs and to contribute to the improvement of the handling of legal business concerning Japanese law in foreign countries, by taking such special measures as opening the way whereby a person who is qualified to become a foreign lawyer can handle legal business concerning foreign law in Japan and regulating the handling of such legal business as in the case of a bengoshi.

(Definitions)

Article 2. In this law, the meaning of the terms listed in the following items shall be set forth in the item concerned:

• (1)bengoshi ; this shall mean a bengoshi provided for in the Bengoshi Law (Law No. 205 of 1949).
• (2)foreign lawyer ; this shall mean a person who handles legal business as a profession in a foreign country (in the case of a federal country specified by the Ministry of Justice Ordinance, the term "foreign country" shall mean its constituent unit such as a state, territory and others specified by the Ministry of Justice Ordinance ; hereinafter the same) and who corresponds to a bengoshi above.
• (3)gaikokuho-jimu-bengoshi ; this shall mean a person who has obtained the approval provided for in Article 7 and has obtained the registration in the Register provided for in Article 24.
• (4)country of primary qualification ; this shall mean the foreign country where a person who has been given the approval provided for in Article 7 acquired the qualification to become a foreign lawyer which served as the basis for such approval.
• (5)law of the country of primary qualification ; this shall mean the law which is or was effective in the country of primary qualification.
• (6)legal business concerning the law of the country of primary qualification ; this shall mean the legal business dealing with a legal case the whole or a major portion of which is subject or is to be subject to the application of the law of the country of primary qualification.
• (7)specified foreign country ; this shall mean a specified foreign country other than the country of primary qualification.
• (8)law of a specified foreign country ; this shall mean the law which is or was effective in a specified foreign country.
• (9)designated law ; this shall mean the law of a specified foreign country which is designated under the provisions of Paragraph 1 of Article 16 for a person who obtained the approval under the provisions of Article 7.
• (10)legal business concerning the designated law ; this shall mean the legal business dealing with a legal case the whole or a major portion of which is subject or is to be subject to the application of the designated law.
• (11)international arbitration case ; this shall mean a case of civil arbitration which is conducted in Japan and all or part of whose parties are persons who have addresses or main offices or headquarters in foreign countries.
• (12)Japan Federation of Bar Associations ; this shall mean the Japan Federation of Bar Associations provided for in the Bengoshi Law.
• (13)bar association ; this shall mean a bar association provided for in the Bengoshi Law.
• (14)in Japan ; this shall mean the place where this law is enforced.