Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Control Law. Copyright Roderick Seeman

CHAPTER III PAYMENTS AND RECEIPT OF PAYMENTS

Article 16 (Payments and receipt of payments)

1.The competent Minister may, when deemed specifically necessary for the maintenance of the equilibrium of our country's balance of international payments, or necessary for the effective enforcement of the provisions of this Law or any Order enacted thereunder, for payments or receipt of payments (meaning "payments, etc." in this Article and the next Article), require, as provided by Cabinet Order, any resident or non-resident who is to make payment from Japan to a foreign country, or any resident who is to make a payments etc. with non-residents, to obtain a license therefor, excepting those situations where such payments, etc., are in relation to transactions or actions, where, based on the provisions of Article 18, Paragraph 2, or Chapters Four through Six, licenses or authorizations are to be received or obligations to give notice can be imposed.

2. In addition to those cases mentioned in the preceding Paragraph, when deemed necessary for the faithful performance of treaties or other international agreements concluded by our country, from the viewpoint of consistency therewith, the Competent Minister may require, as per the provisions of Cabinet Order, any resident or non-resident who is to make a payment from Japan to a foreign country, or any resident who is to make payment, etc. with a non-resident, to obtain a license therefor, concerning payments, etc in relation to transactions or actions, other than transactions or actions for which licenses or authorizations are to be received or obligations to give notice can be imposed.

3. When the provisions of this Law or any Order enacted thereunder impose an obligation to obtain a license or approval for, or to give a notice of a certain transaction or act, no payments, etc., shall be made concerning such a transaction or act without obtaining such a license or approval, or without giving such a notice.