Many Japanese laws have been amended or created over the past few years to allow the use of electromagnetic data. For instance, Japanese laws providing for the authentication of electromagnetic data as well as electromagnetic signatures are now in place. The Securities and Exchange Law of Japan allows disclosure of certain corporate information in electric form. The electromagnetic information amendments to the Commercial Code of Japan, which will take effect on and from April 1 2002, will allow most corporate documents that must be prepared under the Commercial Code to be made and stored in electromagnetic form. Correspondence that is to be sent between a company and its shareholders may also be sent in electromagnetic form.
March 31 2002