Procedure for approval of local associations (incorporation of Neighborhood Association Neighborhood Associations)

　This system was established by the revision of the Local Autonomy Law on April 2, 1991, with the aim of allowing Neighborhood Association Neighborhood Associations, which owns or intends to own real estate, to acquire the legal status and register real estate under the name of the relevant organization.
　Recently, the Local Autonomy Law was enacted by the “Law Concerning the Development of Related Laws to Promote Reforms to Improve Local Independence and Independence” (the 11th Decentralization Act), which came into effect on November 26, 2021, In order to facilitate regional joint activities, it has become possible to acquire a legal status regardless of whether you plan to hold or hold real estate.

　This system is based on the territories of persons with Address in certain areas (hereinafter referred to as "neighborhood associations"). Since it is targeted at the so-called Neighborhood Association Neighborhood Associations, the following organizations are not eligible.
•Organizations that only conduct activities for a specific purpose, such as organizations that only engage in sports activities or environmental beautification activities.
•Organizations that require specific attributes other than Address for members, such as senior citizens' associations and children's associations (age restrictions).

　The Local Autonomy Law requires that the following four requirements be met as requirements for obtaining the approval of a local association.
•It is recognized that the activities are actually being carried out for the purpose of conducting regional joint activities that contribute to the maintenance and formation of a good local community, such as mutual communication between residents in the area, improvement of the environment, maintenance and management of gathering facilities, etc. thing
•The area is defined as objectively clear to the residents.
•All individuals with Address in that area may be members, and a substantial number of them are actually members.
•The rules must be established

　Before applying for the approval of a local association, a general meeting will be held based on the current rules of the relevant local association to determine the necessity of an application for approval.
　At the same time, we will discuss the decision of the rules, the determination of the area, the determination of the members, the decision of the representative, etc., and make the decision of the group. If you have property, it is necessary to make a decision of the organization for the property to be held together.
　In addition, it is desirable that the decision on the application for approval and the decision on the rules, etc. be made at the same general meeting, but separate general meetings may be used.

（１） Maintenance of rules (items to be determined)
•Purpose
　The purpose is to smoothly carry out regional joint activities that contribute to the maintenance and formation of a good local community, but in order to clarify the scope of the rights and abilities of the relevant local association, the activities should be as specific as possible. please.
•Name
　There are no particular restrictions, but do not conflict with other laws.
•Area
　Please display the character name, lot number, and house number. However, the display method using objective objects such as rivers and roads may be used.
　If it is specified by an objective display method such as a river or road, please attach a document that allows the range of the area to be specifically indicated by lot number etc. When defining the area, the consent of the neighboring Neighborhood Association Neighborhood Associations is not required.
•Location of the main office
　There are no particular restrictions, but this will be the official Address of the neighborhood association. It can also be defined as "place at the president's home."
•Matters related to the qualifications of members
　It must be clearly stated that all persons with Address in the area of the neighborhood can be members and that they cannot refuse to join without justifiable reason. Member conditions shall not include matters other than having Address in the area (e.g. age restrictions);
　Please determine the procedures for obtaining qualifications such as joining and withdrawing as much as possible.
•Matters concerning Representative
　It defines the method of selecting representatives, term of office, duties, etc. In addition, the provisions of Article 260-5 of the Local Government Act to Article 260-10 of the Act apply.
•Matters related to the meeting
　It stipulates the type of meeting, the method of convening, the method of voting, and the matters to be decided. In addition, the provisions of Article 260-13 of the Local Government Act to Article 260-19 of the Act apply.
•Assets
　Stipulates the composition, acquisition, disposal, and management of the property held. In addition, the creation of a property inventory is required by the provisions of Article 260-4 of the Local Government Act.
　It is not necessary to stipulate debt property in preparation, and the composition of the property to be held may be "assets in the separate property inventory specified separately".
　If you have a property at the time of dissolution, the property to which the residual property belongs is stipulated in the rules and in Article 260-31, Paragraph 1 of the Act, so you have the property at the time of application for approval. Even if you do not have it, please specify matters related to assets in the rules.

（２） Determination of Members
　In order to clarify the members, it is necessary to confirm the members at the general meeting before the application.
　In addition, it is a requirement that the application for approval be accompanied by a list of members specifying the name and address.

（３） Creation of property inventory
　It is necessary to create a property inventory at the time of approval and within the first three months of each year (fiscal year). According to the 11th Decentralization Act, the ownership or ownership of real estate is no longer a requirement for approval, but a property inventory must be created.

（４） Determination of Representative
　The application for approval is to be made by the representative of the relevant local association, so it is necessary to determine the representative at the general meeting before the application.

　Attach the following materials to the application form (Form 1) (PDF: 94KB), and a representative of the neighborhood association applies to Director General, which has jurisdiction over the area of the neighborhood association.

（１） Covenants (stipulating the matters in 4(1) above)
　Please attach the old terms and conditions.

（２） Documents proving that the General Assembly has voted on applying for approval.
　A copy of the minutes of the General Assembly, which has been decided to apply for approval, signed by the Chair and the signer of the Minutes, seal

（３） Member list (Form 2) (PDF: 87KB)
　Address, name of all members who have joined the local association to apply for approval
　Not on a household basis, but on a member's personal name
　A list of a considerable number of members of the residents in the area

（４） Documents stating that they are currently conducting regional joint activities that contribute to the maintenance and formation of a good community.
　Business report, financial statements, business plan, budget book, property inventory, etc. of the local association applying for approval

（５） Documents proving that the applicant is the representative
　Signed by the Chair and the Minutes Signature of the Minutes of the Minutes of the General Assembly in seal
　And a letter of consent (Form 3) (PDF: 84KB) with a signature certifying that the representative has accepted it.

（６） Others
　Drawings showing the area specified by the rules
　If the area specified by the rules is specified by an objective display method such as rivers and roads, the area specifically describes the area such as character names, lot numbers, house numbers, etc.

　When applying for approval, be sure to hold a general meeting based on your organization's current rules, and discuss not only the application for approval but also the decision of the rules, the determination of the area, the determination of members, the decision of representatives, etc. Please make a resolution.
　In particular, be sure to review the terms and conditions and revise the terms so that they meet the requirements for approval. Before holding a general meeting, be sure to consult with the ward office Regional Promotion Division about proposals to revise the rules.
　Authorized organizations are subject to some of the relevant provisions of the Local Autonomy Law, and some of the provisions of the General Corporation and Foundation Law apply.

（１） Authorization Notice and Authorization Notice
　After accepting the application for approval, we will approve the incorporation after an internal examination and notify (based on registration in the "Yokohama City Newsletter").
　In addition, about authorized group, we attach copy of "Yokohama city bulletin" and notify authorization of incorporation.

（２） Issuance of Certificates
　The certificate will be issued based on the request from the certificate grant application (Form 7) (PDF: 86KB).
　The fee for the certificate is 300 yen per copy.
　Requests can also be made by mail, but a separate postage (reply envelope with postage stamp) is required.

（３） Corporate registration
　Registration as an authorized territorial association will be replaced by a notice issued by Director General, so there is no need to register with the Legal Affairs Bureau.
　Until this notice is issued, the Neighborhood Association cannot compete with a third party after being approved as a Neighborhood Association.

（４） Real estate registration
　Registration of property held by local associations will be required with a certificate issued by Director General, but other documents will be required, so please check with the relevant legal bureau.

（５） Obligations of Authorized Neighborhood Associations
　Authorized neighborhood associations must notify Director General if they change notices (name, address, area, etc. of the representative), change their rules, or dissolve them.
　In particular, if you change the terms, the changed terms will not take effect unless you are authorized to change the terms by Director General.
　1.When the notification items are changed
　　Notice change registration form (Form 8) (PDF: 88KB)
　2.If the rules are changed
　　Covenant Change Authorization Application Form (Form 10) (PDF: 89KB)

（６） Taxes
　There is basically no change in tax relations before and after the approval of the local association.
　For details, please contact the relevant organizations.

　After the approval, it is necessary to significantly change the operation of the association, so please carefully check the contents of the guidance and precautions (PDF: 272KB) before considering incorporation.

　We will inform you that the Local Autonomy Law has been partially revised by the "Law Concerning the Development of Related Laws to Promote Reforms to Improve Local Independence and Independence (Law No. 44 of 2022)" .

Establishment of provisions for written or electromagnetic resolutions (enforced on August 20, 2022)
　(1) Confirm with the members that a resolution should be made in writing or electromagnetically without holding a general meeting on matters that should be resolved at the general meeting, and if the consent of all members is obtained, the general meeting will be held. Instead, we will ask for or against the resolutions and make a resolution in writing or electromagnetic manner. In this case, the resolution requirements as usual will be applied.
※If there is at least one opposition to making a written or electromagnetic resolution, the General Assembly must be held as usual.

　(2) Originally, there was an agreement by all members in writing or electromagnetic means on the matters to be resolved at the General Assembly, and if all members were able to confirm the intention of agreeing with the matter, the agreement shall be written or electromagnetic. It is deemed that a resolution has been made by means.
※The resolution cannot be passed unless everyone agrees. If at least one person rejects, it is necessary to hold the General Assembly as usual.

※Electromagnetic method: A method using e-mail, website, application, etc., a method of recording on a magnetic disk, etc., and issuing the disk etc. can be considered.

2 Revision of the number of public notices regarding the notification of claims to creditors by liquidators following dissolution (enforced on August 20, 2022)
The number of public notices regarding the notice of claims to creditors by liquidators when the licensed territorial association is dissolved has been changed from three or more times to one time.

3 Establishment of provisions for mergers between licensed neighborhood associations (enforced on April 1, 2023)
Authorized Neighborhood Associations can now merge with other authorized Neighborhood Associations in the same municipality by resolution of the General Assembly.

[Reference]
(Document 1) Q & A pertaining to the revision of the Authorized Neighborhood Association System (enforced on August 20, 2022) (PDF: 1,037KB) (PDF: 1,058KB)
(Document 2) Q & A pertaining to the revision of the Authorized Neighborhood Association System (enforced on April 1, 2023) (PDF: 732KB) (PDF: 733KB)
(Document 3) Law (new and old comparison table) about maintenance of related laws to plan promotion of reform to raise local independence and independence (PDF: 203KB) (PDF: 242KB)

Many Neighborhood Association Neighborhood Associations have considered how to hold the General Assembly in response to the COVID-19 infection epidemic.
Therefore, we have compiled the reference style and frequently asked questions when using written voting, so please refer to it.

　Please refer to each ward office Regional Promotion Division about authorization application, consultation and issuance of certificate.