Administrative scrivener - Gyoseishoshi

Based on the Administrative Scrivener Law (Law No. 4 of 1951), an administrative scrivener is a person who, upon request and receiving a fee, prepares documents to be submitted to government offices and other documents related to rights, obligations, or factual proof (including drawings based on field surveys). Originally, they started out as scrivener, writing applications for licenses and permits to be submitted to government offices, but today, they are professionals in legal procedures for government entities, such as development permits, waste disposal site permits, construction business registrations, regularly required document submissions, and residence permits for foreigners. They also prepare contracts and certify contents in civil cases. They can also act as agents in hearings and defense procedures as stipulated in the Administrative Procedure Law, and prepare contract documents. However, when it comes to "incidents," or disputes, they cannot act as agents in litigation, nor can they settle or negotiate, as Article 72 of the Attorneys Act stipulates this is an exclusive business for attorneys.

In addition to those who have passed the Administrative Scrivener Examination held once a year by the Administrative Scrivener Examination Research Center, those who hold qualifications as lawyers, certified public accountants, patent attorneys, or tax accountants, and those who have been in charge of administrative affairs as public servants (or officers or employees of specified independent administrative agencies or specified local independent administrative agencies) for a total of 17 years or more if they have graduated from high school, are eligible to become administrative scriveners, but in order to open a practice, they must register with the Japan Federation of Administrative Scriveners Associations via the Administrative Scriveners Association of the prefecture in which they will open. Administrative scriveners' fees were previously determined by the rules of the Administrative Scriveners Association, but this has now been deregulated and the only requirement is that the amount of fees must be posted in a conspicuous place in the office.

[Yasuhito Abe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

行政書士法（昭和26年法律第4号）に基づき、他人の依頼を受け報酬を得て、官公署に提出する書類その他権利義務または事実証明に関する書類（実地調査に基づく図面類を含む）を作成することなどを業とする者をいう。もともとは代書人として、官公署に提出する許認可の申請書の代筆業から出発したが、今日では、開発許可、廃棄物処分場の許可、建設業の登録や定期的に要求される書類の提出、外国人の在留許可など、行政相手の法律手続のプロであるほか、民事上でも契約書の作成、内容証明などを行っている。さらに、行政手続法の定める聴聞・弁明手続の代理、契約書類などの代理作成もできるようになった。ただし、「事件」つまり紛争となれば、弁護士法第72条により弁護士の独占業務であるので、訴訟代理はもちろん、和解、交渉などもすることができない。

　行政書士試験研究センターが毎年1回行う行政書士試験に合格した者のほか、弁護士、公認会計士、弁理士、税理士の資格を有する者、および公務員（あるいは特定独立行政法人や特定地方独立行政法人の役員または職員）として、高卒であれば通算17年間以上行政事務を担当した者は行政書士となる資格を有するが、開業するには、開業する都道府県の行政書士会を経由して日本行政書士会連合会に登録しなければならない。行政書士の報酬は、以前は行政書士会の会則で定められていたが、現在は規制緩和され、その事務所の見やすい場所に報酬の額を掲示しなければならない、となっているだけである。

［阿部泰隆］

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