Response based on the gray zone elimination system

Based on the Act on Strengthening Industrial Competitiveness, the Gray Zone Elimination Program allows businesses to confirm in advance whether or not a regulation will be applied in accordance with a specific business plan so that they can engage in new business activities with peace of mind even if the scope of application of the current regulation is unclear.

This section presents cases in which responses were made regarding the applicability of Article 2, Paragraph (1) of the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act to various electronic contract services in response to inquiries within the framework of the gray zone elimination system.
(Last updated: August 8, 2024)

Web page on the gray zone elimination system (METI)

• Bengo4.com,Inc.
  Date of application: January 5, 2021
  Response date: February 5, 2021
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 766 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 156 kb)

• Applicant: ITECH Hankyu Hanshin Co., Ltd.
  Application Date: May 11, 2021
  Response Date: June 11, 2021
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 795 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 164 kb)

• Applicant: Adobe K. K.
  Date of application: September 10, 2021
  Response date: October 8, 2021
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 3,240 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 127 kb)

• Applicant: GMO Global Sign Holdings Co., Ltd.
  Date of application: September 22, 2021
  Response Date: October 21, 2021
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 1,915 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 233 kb)

• Applicant: ContractS Co., Ltd.
  Date of application: November 9, 2021
  Response Date: December 3, 2021
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 5,583 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 138 kb)
  *The letter of inquiry was renewed on May 17, 2022.

• Applicant: Nittetsu Hitachi System Engineering Co., Ltd.
  Date of application: February 25, 2022
  Response date: March 14, 2022
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 483 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 136 kb)

• Applicant: Wanbishi Archives Co., Ltd.
  Date of application: February 28, 2022
  Response date: March 14, 2022
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 499 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 150 kb)
  *The letter of inquiry was renewed on May 17, 2022.

• Applicant: Site Visit Co., Ltd. (current company name: Free Co., Ltd.)
  Date of application: April 6, 2022
  Response date: April 27, 2022
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 1,791 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 179 kb)

• Applicant: DocuSign Japan K. K.
  Date of application: July 1, 2022
  Response Date: July 29, 2022
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 2,579 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 147 kb)

• Applicant: Toshiba Digital Solutions Corporation
  Date of application: July 13, 2022
  Response Date: July 29, 2022
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 413 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 140 kb)

• Applicant: TSUZUKI DENKI CO., LTD.
  Date of application: August 15, 2022
  Response Date: September 5, 2022
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 1,018 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 128 kb)

• Applicant: Digital Sign Co., Ltd.
  Date of application: September 12, 2022
  Response date: September 30, 2022
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 2,140 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 141 kb)

• Japanese Information CREATE CORPORATION
  Date of application: December 19, 2022
  Response date: January 13, 2023
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 1,815 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 125 kb)

• MetaBox Co., Ltd.
  Date of application: December 19, 2022
  Response date: January 13, 2023
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 1,112 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 122 kb)

• Wing Arc 1st Co., Ltd.
  Date of application: March 29, 2023
  Response date: April 21, 2023
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 483 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 262 kb)

• Applicant: Dropbox Japan K. K.
  Date of application: August 29, 2023
  Response date: September 27, 2023
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 6,362 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 188 kb)

• Applicant: TREASURY Co., Ltd.
  Date of application: August 29, 2023
  Response date: September 27, 2023
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 898 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 233 kb)

• Applicant: Box Japan Co., Ltd.
  Date of application: September 25, 2023
  Response date: October 25, 2023
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 1,223 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 215 kb)

• Applicant: Crossbeater Co., Ltd. (Current company name: Baltec Sign Co., Ltd.)
  Date of application: December 27, 2023
  Response date: January 23, 2024
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 7,077 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 195 kb)

• Applicant: Leetex Co., Ltd.
  Date of application: February 9, 2024
  Response date: February 29, 2024
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 1,154 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 129 kb)

• Applicant: Japan FORCS Co., Ltd.
  Application Date: July 17, 2024
  Response date: August 6, 2024
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 3,337 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 259 kb)

• Applicant: PICK Co., Ltd.
  Date of application: July 22, 2024
  Response Date: August 8, 2024
  Answers, etc.: Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 6,854 kb) Letter of Inquiry (PDF / 208 kb)