--- title: "Specified Commercial Transactions Act: Sales Rules" description: "Explains Japan's specified commercial transactions statute on visit sales, mail order sales, telemarketing, multilevel marketing, services, and supervision." date: 2026-05-31 category: Law Commentary tags: [Consumer Law, E-commerce] draft: false --- The [Act on Specified Commercial Transactions](https://elaws.jp/view/351AC0000000057) regulates specified transaction types such as visit sales, mail order sales, telemarketing sales, multilevel marketing transactions, specified continuous service offers, business opportunity sales transactions, and door-to-door purchases. E-commerce businesses, subscription-service providers, consumer-law researchers, and compliance teams consult it when checking statutory display, document-delivery, cancellation, prohibited solicitation, and administrative-order rules. This article covers selected core provisions of the Act and does not determine whether a particular sales method or website display satisfies all subordinate-rule requirements. ## Purpose and Transaction Categories The Act is organized by transaction type, so classification is the first step. Articles 1 and 2 identify the transaction categories that later chapters regulate. Article 1 states that the Act aims to make Specified Commercial Transactions fair and prevent damage that purchasers and others may suffer, thereby protecting purchasers' interests, making distribution of goods and provision of services appropriate and smooth, and contributing to sound development of the national economy. The same article identifies Specified Commercial Transactions as transactions concerning visit sales, mail order sales and telemarketing sales, multilevel marketing transactions, specified continuous service offers, business opportunity sales transactions, and door-to-door purchases. Article 2 defines Visit Sales for Chapter II, including sales or service contracts concluded outside a Sales Office, etc., and certain contracts concluded at a Sales Office, etc. with customers solicited by calling them away from another place or by methods prescribed by Cabinet Order. Article 2(2) defines Mail Order Sales as sales of goods, specified rights, or services by receiving applications through mail or other prescribed methods, excluding telemarketing sales. Article 2(3) defines Telemarketing Sales as sales or service provision after telephone solicitation, where applications or contracts are made through mail or other prescribed methods. Article 2(4) defines Specified Rights, including rights to use facilities or receive services sold in daily-life transactions as prescribed by Cabinet Order, monetary claims such as bonds, and shares or membership interests in companies or other corporations. Because Article 2 is transaction-specific, a business may need to check several definitions if it uses multiple sales channels. ## Visit Sales and Telemarketing Sales Visit sales and telemarketing sales have strong document, solicitation, cancellation, and administrative-order rules. Articles 3, 3-2, 4, 5, 6, 6-2, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, and 24 are the main provisions. Article 3 requires a seller or service provider conducting Visit Sales to clearly state, before solicitation, its name, the purpose of solicitation for a sales or service contract, and the type of goods, rights, or services. Article 3-2 requires the seller or service provider to endeavor to confirm whether the other party is willing to receive solicitation, and prohibits solicitation after the person has indicated an intention not to conclude the contract. Articles 4 and 5 require delivery of written documents concerning application content and contract content, with electronic provision allowed under specified conditions. Article 6 prohibits false statements, intentional failure to state specified facts, intimidation causing confusion, and certain concealed-purpose solicitations in Visit Sales. Article 6-2 allows the competent minister to request materials showing reasonable grounds for a statement when deciding whether a false statement was made. Articles 7 and 8 authorize instructions and business suspension orders when statutory violations or harmful conduct occur. Article 9 gives a purchaser or service recipient a right to withdraw the application or cancel the contract in Visit Sales within the statutory framework. For Telemarketing Sales, Article 16 requires disclosure of name and purpose before solicitation, Article 17 restricts solicitation after refusal, Articles 18 and 19 require documents for applications and contracts, Article 21 prohibits false statements and related conduct, Article 22 authorizes instructions, Article 23 authorizes business suspension orders, and Article 24 provides withdrawal or cancellation rules. ## Mail Order Sales and Online Displays Mail Order Sales rules are central for e-commerce and distance selling. Articles 11, 12, 12-3, 12-6, 14, and 15 are common entry points for advertisement display, misleading advertising, email advertising, application screens, and administrative orders. Article 11 requires a seller or service provider conducting Mail Order Sales to display specified matters in advertisements for goods, specified rights, or services, including selling price or service price, payment timing and method, delivery or service timing, and matters concerning withdrawal or cancellation, as prescribed by Ministry Order. The article is the statutory basis, while detailed display items are in subordinate rules. Article 12 prohibits a seller or service provider from making significantly false or misleading indications in advertisements concerning Mail Order Sales. Article 12-3 restricts electronic mail advertising for Mail Order Sales and sets consent and opt-out rules. Article 12-6 requires a seller or service provider to display specified matters at the final application stage so that a customer does not mistakenly apply or misunderstand the application content. Article 14 authorizes the competent minister to give instructions if a seller or service provider violates specified Mail Order Sales provisions or engages in conduct that may harm transaction fairness and purchaser interests. Article 15 authorizes business suspension orders and related officer-ban orders where violations or harmful conduct substantially harm transaction fairness or purchaser interests, or where an instruction is not followed. ## Multilevel Marketing and Long-Term Services The Act separately regulates multilevel marketing transactions and specified continuous service offers. Articles 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 46, 47, 48, and 49 are key entry points. Article 33 defines Multilevel Marketing Transactions by reference to sales or service transactions involving specified benefits and specified burdens connected with a multilevel marketing business. Article 34 restricts solicitation and requires disclosure of name and solicitation purpose. Article 35 requires advertisement display for multilevel marketing transactions, Article 36 prohibits misleading advertising, and Article 37 requires delivery of written documents before and at contract conclusion. Article 38 prohibits false statements, intentional omission of facts, intimidation causing confusion, and other conduct. Article 39 authorizes instructions, and Article 40 authorizes business suspension orders. Article 41 defines Specified Continuous Service Offers by reference to services prescribed by Cabinet Order that are provided continuously for more than a period prescribed by Cabinet Order and for consideration exceeding an amount prescribed by Cabinet Order. Article 42 requires document delivery for specified continuous service contracts, Article 43 prohibits false statements and related conduct, Article 46 authorizes instructions, Article 47 authorizes business suspension orders, Article 48 provides cancellation rules, and Article 49 provides rules on damages or penalties following cancellation. These chapters use similar regulatory tools but apply to different transaction structures. The starting point is therefore the statutory definition of the transaction type, not the business's marketing label. ## Business Opportunity Sales, Door-to-Door Purchases, and Supervision The Act also covers business opportunity sales transactions and door-to-door purchases, then adds reporting, inspection, and penalty provisions. Articles 51, 52, 55, 56, 58, 58-4, 58-5, 58-6, 58-7, 58-11, 58-12, 66, 70, and 72 are useful landmarks. Article 51 defines Business Opportunity Sales Transactions by reference to transactions involving provision or intermediation of goods or services that induce the other party with business benefits while requiring specified burdens. Article 52 restricts solicitation and requires disclosure of name and purpose, Article 55 requires delivery of written documents, Article 56 prohibits false statements and related conduct, and Article 58 provides withdrawal or cancellation rules. Article 58-4 defines Door-to-Door Purchase. Article 58-5 requires disclosure of name and purpose before solicitation, Article 58-6 restricts solicitation after refusal, Article 58-7 requires document delivery, Article 58-11 prohibits false statements and related conduct, and Article 58-12 provides withdrawal or cancellation rules for purchase contracts, subject to statutory conditions. Article 66 authorizes the competent minister to request reports and conduct on-site inspections where necessary for enforcement. Article 70 sets penalties for specified violations, including violations of business suspension orders and serious solicitation rules. Article 72 provides dual-liability rules for corporations and other principals when representatives, agents, employees, or other workers commit specified violations in connection with the business.