Penal Code of Japan

The Penal Code (刑法, Keihō) is a Japanese law that sets out general provisions concerning crimes, as well as the elements and punishments for the various offenses. It is a foundational statute of Japanese law and one of Japan’s Six Codes. To distinguish it from the general term keihō it may also be referred to as Keihōten (刑法典).

It was promulgated on April 24, 1907 and came into force on October 1, 1908. The competent government agencies are the Criminal Affairs Division and the Director of the Legislative Affairs Division within the Criminal Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Justice.

The current Penal Code consists of two parts: Part I, General Provisions (Articles 1–72), and Part II, Crimes (Articles 73–264). However, not all penal provisions are contained within the Penal Code. Many crimes are defined instead in special criminal acts (刑事特別法, keiji tokubetsuhō) or special criminal laws (特別刑法, tokubetsu keihō).

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