Cancellation deposit - Kaiyakutte Tsuke (English) deposit

A deposit that has the effect of restricting the parties to a contract from terminating the contract. When making a contract for the sale of goods, a contract, a lease, etc., money or other valuables that are delivered by one party (such as the buyer) to the other party (such as the seller) are called a deposit, and when it has the effect of restricting the termination of the contract, it is called a termination deposit (Civil Code Articles 557, Paragraph 1 and 559). A deposit can be considered a security paid to ensure that a contract is made.

Generally, all deposits have the effect of a written promise that makes it clear that a contract has been formed, but in commercial practice, a contract can be terminated before the performance of the contract begins by the person who gave the deposit abandoning it or the person who received it returning double the amount (return of double the deposit). This is the cancellation deposit. A contract cannot be terminated after performance has begun, even with a cancellation deposit (Civil Code Article 557, Paragraph 1). Note that there are cases where a part of the price is paid in advance as a deposit, but this does not have the effect of a deposit.

[Mitsuo Morimoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

契約の当事者に解約を制約する効力を及ぼす手付。商品売買、請負、賃貸借などの契約を結ぶ際、当事者の一方（買い手など）から相手方（売り手など）に対して交付される金銭その他の有価物を手付といい、それが解約を制約する意味をもつものをとくに解約手付という（民法557条1項・559条）。手付（金）は、契約が行われるよう支払われる保証金といえる。

　一般に手付は、すべて契約が成立したことを明らかにさせる意味をもつ証約の効力をもっているが、商慣習では、契約の履行に着手する前であれば、手付金の交付者がその手付を放棄するか、あるいは、受納者がその倍額を返す（手付倍額戻し）ことにより、契約を解除することができる。これが解約手付である。解約手付によっても契約の履行に着手した後は解約することができない（民法557条1項）。なお、内金として代金の一部を前払いすることがあるが、これには手付の効力はない。

［森本三男］

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