Agent - Dairishou

An independent merchant who normally acts as an agent or intermediary for certain merchants in transactions that fall within the business category of that merchant. There are contracting agents who act as agents in transactions and intermediary agents who act as intermediaries, the former having agency powers while the latter do not. When a merchant conducts business activities over a wide area, he or she often uses someone who is familiar with local conditions as an agent. A commercial agent is similar to a commercial employee in that he or she continuously assists the business activities of the merchant, but a commercial agent is an independent merchant himself and is different from a commercial employee who is in an employment relationship with the business owner. The relationship between a merchant and a commercial agent is determined by a commercial agency contract, and in the case of a contracting agent, the agent is entrusted with the legal act of acting as an agent in transactions, which is a commission contract in nature, while an intermediary agent is entrusted with the task of intermediation, which is a quasi-commission contract. However, the Commercial Code has special provisions regarding the automatic notification obligation of a commercial agent, the obligation to refrain from competing, commercial liens, etc., which are different from the rights and obligations of an agent as an agent in a commission contract under the Civil Code.

[Toda Shuzo]

The word "agency" is used as another name for a commercial agent under the Commercial Code, and there are two types of agency: seller's agencies that are entrusted with selling goods, and buyer's agencies that are entrusted with purchasing goods. Among the former, those that act as sales agents in vast markets such as an entire country are called general agents, and are often used by foreign manufacturers for export sales, etc. Agencies are not only used for the sale of goods, but are also widely used in other commercial and service industries, such as transportation agencies, insurance agencies, advertising agencies, and travel agencies.

[Mitsuo Morimoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

一定の商人のために平常その営業の部類に属する取引の代理または媒介を業とする独立の商人。取引の代理をする締約代理商と媒介をする媒介代理商とがあり、前者には代理権があるが、後者にはない。商人が広範な地域で営業活動を行うに際し、地方の事情に通じている者を代理商として利用することが多い。代理商は商人の営業活動を継続的に補助する点で商業使用人と類似するが、代理商は自ら独立の商人であって、営業主と雇用関係にたつ商業使用人とは異なる。商人と代理商との関係は代理商契約により定まり、締約代理商の場合は取引の代理という法律行為の委託を引き受けるもので、その性質は委任契約であるが、媒介代理商は媒介という事務の委託を引き受けるもので、準委任契約である。しかし、商法は、代理商の自働的通知義務、競業避止義務、商事留置権などにつき、民法の委任契約における受任者としての権利・義務とは異なる特別の規定を置いている。

［戸田修三］

　商法上の代理商の別称として代理店の語が用いられるが、これには、商品販売を委託された売方代理店と、商品購入を委託された買方代理店とがある。前者のうち一国全体のような広大な市場の販売を代理するものをとくに総代理店といい、外国メーカーが輸出販売などに多く利用する。代理店はまた、商品売買のみでなく、運送代理店、保険代理店、広告代理店、旅行代理店など、物品売買業以外の商業すなわちサービス業についても多く利用される。

［森本三男］

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