Resource Recycling Council（RRC） Membership Regulations

These regulations, based on the articles of incorporation of the Resource Recycling Council (hereinafter referred to as "the corporation"), set forth matters related to the corporation's members and aim to contribute to the smooth operation of its activities.

Members are required to fulfill the following.

• 1 Compliance with the corporation's membership regulations.
• 2 Participation, cooperation, support, or collaboration in activities necessary for achieving the corporation's objectives.

To become a member of the corporation, an application must be submitted in the prescribed manner and approval must be obtained from the executive secretary.

Members shall have the obligation to pay the membership fees as specified in the membership fee regulations of the corporation.

1 A member may voluntarily withdraw from the corporation. However, they must submit a prior notice to the corporation at least one month in advance.

2 In addition to the cases specified in Paragraph 1, a member shall withdraw from the corporation for any of the following reasons.

• （1）Resolution of the board of directors.
• （2）Death or dissolution.
• （3）Dissolution of corporate status due to a merger, etc. (except when the surviving corporation after the merger notifies its intention to continue its membership).
• （4）Expulsion
• （5）When the payment obligations stipulated in Article 4 have not been fulfilled for more than one year.

If a member falls under any of the following circumstances, the member may be expelled by a resolution of the General Assembly.

• （1）When violating the corporation's articles of incorporation, the prohibited acts stipulated in Article 11, or other regulations.
• （2）When acting in a manner that damages the reputation of the corporation or contradicts its purpose.
• （3）When there are other legitimate reasons for expulsion.

1 The policies regarding the corporation’s activities shall be determined by the board of directors.

2 The board of directors and members may propose activities that contribute to the revitalization of the corporation to the secretariat.

1 The ownership of intellectual property rights created through the corporation’s activities shall be determined through discussions among those involved in their creation and all members of the board of directors.

2 Even if intellectual property rights acquired separately from the corporation’s activities by the board of directors, the secretariat, or a member are disclosed within the corporation’s activities, such disclosure shall not be deemed as granting a license for use to other members or any other parties.

1 The board of directors, the secretariat, and members shall bear full responsibility for their participation in the corporation, their activities within the corporation, and the outcomes thereof.

2 If a dispute (whether in court or not) arises in connection with the corporation due to reasons attributable to the board of directors, the secretariat, or a member, the parties concerned shall resolve the dispute at their own responsibility and expense.

The board of directors, the secretariat, and members shall comply with the Antimonopoly Act and other applicable laws and regulations in the corporation’s activities, considering that competitors may also participate in the corporation.

1 The board of directors, the secretariat, and members shall not engage in the acts specified below in the course of the corporation’s activities. If the board of directors determines that any of the following acts have been committed, it may expel the relevant individual at any time.

• （1）Acts that violate or may violate the provisions set forth in these regulations.
• （2）Acts that cause or may cause disadvantage or damage to the board of directors, the secretariat, members, or third parties.
• （3）Criminal acts, acts connected to criminal activities, or acts that induce or incite such activities.
• （4）In addition to the preceding item, any act that violates laws and regulations.
• （5）Any other acts that the board of directors deems inappropriate as a member of the corporation.

2 The board of directors and members shall not make any claims against the corporation for damages incurred due to withdrawal from the corporation under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

1 The corporation makes no guarantees regarding the safety, accuracy, usefulness, or any other aspects of the information obtained by members through the corporation’s activities. Furthermore, the corporation shall not be liable for any damages arising from such information.

2 The corporation shall not be liable for any damages caused by natural disasters, incidents, network failures, or other force majeure events, damages not attributable to the corporation's fault, lost profits, or indirect damages.

3 The corporation shall not be liable to members for any damages or costs incurred due to changes to these regulations under Article 11 or the dissolution of the corporation.

1 The board of directors and members shall not disclose or leak any information disclosed within the corporation (hereinafter referred to as "Confidential Information") to third parties. Additionally, such information shall not be used for purposes other than the corporation's activities.

2 Notwithstanding Paragraph 1, the following shall not be treated as confidential information.

• （1）Information that was publicly known at the time of disclosure or became publicly known without any fault of the disclosed board member or member.
• （2）Information lawfully possessed prior to disclosure.
• （3）Information independently developed without using the disclosed information.
• （4）Information disclosed by a duly authorized third party without being subject to confidentiality obligations.

3 The board of directors and members may disclose confidential information to administrative agencies, judicial authorities, or financial instrument exchanges only to the extent required by disclosure obligations based on laws and regulations when requested by such agencies.

4 The provisions of this article shall remain valid even after the board of directors and members withdraw or the corporation is dissolved.

1 The board of directors and members shall represent and warrant at the time of admission that the matters specified in the following items are true both at present and in the future.

• （1）The entity itself does not fall under the category of an organized crime group (as defined in Article 2, Paragraph 2 of the Act on Prevention of Unjust Acts by Organized Crime Group Members, hereinafter referred to as the "Anti-Organized Crime Act"), an organized crime group member (as defined in Paragraph 6 of the same Article), a quasi-member of an organized crime group, a company affiliated with an organized crime group, a corporate racketeer, a group or individual advocating social movements for improper purposes, a special intelligence violent group, or any other group or individual that habitually engages in violent illegal activities (as defined in Paragraph 1 of the same Article) using violence, threats, or fraudulent methods, or habitually achieves its objectives through such means (collectively referred to as "anti-social forces").
• （2）Unjust demands exceeding legal responsibility.
• （3）The corporation's principal investors and other persons recognized as controlling the management do not fall under anti-social forces.
• （4）Anti-social forces are not involved in the management, either directly or indirectly.
• （5）There is no recognized relationship involving the improper use of anti-social forces for the purpose of obtaining illicit benefits for oneself or a third party or causing harm to a third party.
• （6）No funds or other benefits have been provided to anti-social forces.
• （7）The representative, executives, or individuals substantially involved in the management do not have a socially reprehensible relationship with anti-social forces.

2 The board of directors and members shall not engage in, nor cause a third party to engage in, any of the acts specified in the following items.

• （1）Violent demands as stipulated in each item of Article 9 of the Anti-Organized Crime Act.
• （2）Unjust demands exceeding legal responsibility.
• （3）Acts of making threats or using violence.
• （4）Acts that obstruct business operations or damage credibility through deception or force.

3 If the board of directors or a member becomes aware that they have violated the provisions of Paragraph 1 or Paragraph 2, they shall immediately report the fact to the board of directors.

4 If it is determined that a violation of Paragraph 1 or Paragraph 2 has occurred, the board of directors may expel the board member or member from the corporation without any prior notice.

5 The board of directors and members shall not make any claims against the corporation for any damages incurred due to withdrawal from the corporation under the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

In the event of legal disputes related to this corporation or these regulations, the Tokyo District Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction by agreement.

The governing law of these regulations shall be Japanese law.

Matters not stipulated in these regulations and any ambiguities regarding this corporation shall be discussed separately in good faith among the relevant parties.

Amendments or abolitions of these regulations shall be approved by a resolution of the General Assembly.

These regulations shall come into effect on September 21, 2023.