Japan - Ukraine BIT (2015)
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(i) taken in time of war, or armed conflict, or other emergency in that Contracting Party or in international relations; or

(ii) relating to the implementation of national policies or international agreements respecting the non-proliferation of weapons; or

(b) in pursuance of its obligations under the United Nations Charter for the maintenance of international peace and security.

2. In cases where a Contracting Party takes any measure, pursuant to paragraph 1, that does not conform with the obligations of the provisions of this Agreement other than the provisions of Article 14, that Contracting Party shall not use such measure as a means of avoiding its obligations.

Article 20.

1. A Contracting Party may adopt or maintain measures not conforming with its obligations under Article 4 relating to cross-border capital transactions and Article 16:

(a) in the event of serious balance-of-payments and external financial difficulties or threat thereof; or

(b) in cases where, in exceptional circumstances,

Movements of capital cause or threaten to cause serious difficulties for macroeconomic management, in particular, monetary and exchange rate policies.

2. Measures referred to in paragraph 1:

(a) shall be consistent with the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund, so long as the Contracting Party taking the measures is a party to the said Articles;

(b) shall not exceed those necessary to deal with the circumstances set out in paragraph 1;

(c) shall be temporary and shall be eliminated as soon as conditions permit;

(d) shall be promptly notified to the other Contracting Party; and

(e) shall avoid unnecessary damages to the commercial, economic and financial interests of the other Contracting Party.

3. Nothing in this Agreement shall be regarded as altering the rights enjoyed and obligations undertaken by a Contracting Party as a party to the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund.

Article 21.

1. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, a Contracting Party shall not be prevented from taking measures relating to financial services for prudential reasons, including measures for the protection of investors, depositors, policy holders or persons to whom a fiduciary duty is owed by an enterprise supplying financial services, or to ensure the integrity and stability of its financial system.

2. Where the measures taken by a Contracting Party pursuant to paragraph 1 do not conform with this Agreement, they shall not be used as a means of avoiding the obligations of the Contracting Party under this Agreement.

Article 22.

1. The Contracting Parties shall grant and ensure the adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights, and promote efficiency and transparency in administrations of intellectual property protection system. For this purpose, the Contracting Parties shall promptly consult with each other at the request of either Contracting Party. Depending on the results of the consultations, each Contracting Party shall, in accordance with its applicable laws and regulations, take appropriate measures to remove the factors which are recognized as having adverse effects to the investments of investors of the other Contracting Party.

2. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed so as to derogate from the rights and obligations under multilateral agreements in respect of protection of intellectual property rights to which the Contracting Parties are parties.

3. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed so as to oblige either Contracting Party to extend to investors of the other Contracting Party and their investments treatment accorded to investors of a non-Contracting Party and their investments by virtue of multilateral agreements in respect of protection of intellectual property rights, to which the former Contracting Party is a party.

Article 23.

1. Nothing in this Agreement shall apply to taxation measures except as expressly provided for in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of this Article.

2. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect the rights and obligations of either Contracting Party under any tax convention. In the event of any inconsistency between this Agreement and any such convention, that convention shall prevail to the extent of the inconsistency.

3. Articles 1, 6, 7, 9, 13 and 28 shall apply to taxation measures.

4. Articles 17 and 18 shall apply to disputes regarding taxation measures to the extent covered by paragraph 3.

5. Article 24 shall apply to matters regarding taxation measures to the extent covered by paragraph 3.

Article 24.

1. The Contracting Parties shall establish a Joint Committee (hereinafter referred to as "the Committee") with a view to accomplishing the objectives of this Agreement. The functions of the Committee shall be:

(a) to discuss and review the implementation and operation of this Agreement; and

(b) to share information on and to discuss any other investment-related matters concerning this Agreement, for the purpose of encouraging favorable conditions for investors of the Contracting Parties.

2. The Committee may, as necessary, make appropriate recommendations by consensus to the Contracting Parties for the more effective functioning or the attainment of the objectives of this Agreement.

3. The Committee shall be composed of representatives of the Governments of the Contracting Parties. The Committee may, upon mutual consent of the Contacting Parties, invite representatives of relevant entities other than the Governments of the Contracting Parties with the necessary expertise relevant to the issues to be discussed, and hold joint meetings with the private sectors.

4. The Committee shall determine its own rules of procedure to carry out its functions.

5. The Committee may establish sub-committees and delegate specific tasks to such sub-committees.

6. The Committee and the sub-committee established pursuant to paragraph 5 shall meet upon the request of either Contracting Party.

Article 25.

The Contracting Parties recognize that it is inappropriate for a Contracting Party to encourage investment by investors of the other Contracting Party and of a non-Contracting Party by relaxing its health, safety or environmental measures, or by lowering its labor standards. To this effect each Contracting Party should not waive or otherwise derogate from such measures and standards as an encouragement for the establishment, acquisition or expansion of investments in its Area by investors of the other Contracting Party and of a nonContracting Party.

Article 26.

1. A Contracting Party may deny the benefits of this Agreement to an investor of the other Contracting Party that is an enterprise of the other Contracting Party and to its investments if the enterprise is owned or controlled by an investor of a non-Contracting Party and the denying Contracting Party:

(a) does not maintain diplomatic relations with the non-Contracting Party; or

(b) adopts or maintains measures with respect to the non-Contracting Party that prohibit transactions with the enterprise or that would be violated or circumvented if the benefits of this Agreement were accorded to the enterprise or to its investments.

2. A Contracting Party may deny the benefits of this Agreement to an investor of the other Contracting Party that is an enterprise of the other Contracting Party and to its investments if the enterprise is owned or controlled by an investor of a non-Contracting Party and the enterprise has no substantial business activities in the Area of the other Contracting Party.

Note: For the purposes of this Article, an enterprise is:

(a) "owned" by an investor if more than fifty (50) percent of the equity interest in it is owned by the investor; and

(b) "controlled" by an investor if the investor has the power to name a majority of its directors or otherwise to legally direct its actions.

Article 27.

Upon the request of either Contracting Party, the Contracting Parties shall undertake a review of this Agreement, with a view to further promoting and progressively liberalizing investment between the Contracting Parties.

Article 28.

1. Each Contracting Party shall send through diplomatic channels to the other the notification confirming that its internal procedures necessary for the entry into force of this Agreement have been completed. This Agreement shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the date of receipt of the latter notification.

2. This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of ten (10) years after its entry into force and shall continue in force unless terminated as provided for in paragraph 3.

3. A Contracting Party may, by giving one year's advance notice in writing to the other Contracting Party, terminate this Agreement at the end of the initial ten (10) year period or at any time thereafter.

4. Notwithstanding paragraph 2, in respect of investments acquired prior to the date of termination of this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall continue to be effective for a period of ten (10) years from the date of termination of this Agreement.

5. This Agreement shall also apply to all investments of investors of either Contracting Party acquired in the Area of the other Contracting Party in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations of that other Contracting Party prior to the entry into force of this Agreement.

6. This Agreement shall not apply to claims arising out of events which occurred, or to claims which had been settled, prior to its entry into force.

Conclusion

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorized, have signed this Agreement.

DONE at Kyiv on this fifth day of February, 2015 in duplicate, in the Japanese, Ukrainian and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of any divergence in interpretation, the English text shall prevail.

FOR JAPAN:

FOR UKRAINE:

Aivaras Abromavicius

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