Pro-Innovation AIGuides
Setting up a company in Japan, question by question.
Short answers for founders outside Japan, each checked against the statutes and official sources it cites.
- 01Annual Compliance for a Japanese KK: The Yearly ChecklistA small Japanese KK has a fixed yearly cycle under the Companies Act and the Corporation Tax Act, and its annual shareholders' meeting can be done in writing. When a director's term ends, the change is registered, even if the same person is reappointed.
- 02Filings After Incorporation in Japan: Tax, Pension and EmploymentAfter registration, a Japanese company files with the tax office, the local tax offices and the pension office, and with the labour standards office and Hello Work once it hires staff. The national and local notifications of incorporation can be sent together online.
- 03Who Can File a Company Registration for You in Japan?A Japanese company's registration is filed by its representative, who can appoint an agent. If someone prepares and files it for you, that person should be a judicial scrivener or a lawyer, not an administrative scrivener.
- 04Subsidiary or Branch in Japan? What Changes for a Foreign CompanyTwo common ways for a foreign company to do business in Japan are a subsidiary and a branch. A branch needs someone living in Japan, and a KK subsidiary does not.
- 05How Much Does It Cost to Set Up a Company in Japan?Setting up a GK in Japan costs at least JPY 60,000 in registration tax, and a KK at least JPY 150,000 plus a notary's fee. Paper articles, documents from abroad and professional fees can add to that.
- 06How Much Capital Do You Need to Set Up a Company in Japan?Japanese law lets a company start with capital of JPY 1, but tax and visa rules put real thresholds at around JPY 10 million and at JPY 30 million.
- 07GK or KK? How to Choose Between Japan's Two Company TypesA GK has a lower minimum registration tax than a KK and needs no notary. A KK issues shares, which matters if you plan to bring in equity investors or grant stock options. For a US owner, the two forms may be classified differently for US tax, which is worth checking with a US adviser.
- 08Can You Set Up a Company in Japan Without Coming to Japan?A founder outside Japan can usually set up a Japanese company without travelling there. A kabushiki kaisha's representative directors may all live abroad, and a foreign national can sign with a signature certificate from their home country.