FAQ
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Steps for Establishing a Company in Japan |
- 1. Decide the company's founding members.
- The founders (promoters) are the initial capital investors. A company can be established by a single promoter.
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- 2. Outline the basic business concept.
- You will need to describe the purpose of the company in the Articles of Incorporation.
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- 3. Decide on a business location.
- A business location is required, which will be registered as the "head office" in Japan.
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- 4. Name the company.
- Decide the company name.
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- 5. Consult with a registrar on suitability for registration.
- Advance consultation with a registrar at the Legal Affairs Bureau is especially recommended for IT businesses, as business activities may need to be described with new terminology.
Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau (Japanese)
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- 6. Decide the organizational structure.
- Appoint officers (directors, board members, etc.). There must be at least one director.
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- 7. Have the company seals made.
- Two seals are required: a personal seal for the president and a company seal. Both must be jitsuin-type seals. A ginkoin-type seal (for bank transactions) and a shain-type seal (for stamping invoices, quotations, etc). are also convenient to have. When having the Articles of Incorporation notarized, you will need to present a Certificate of Seal Impression for the president's seal. This certificate is available from the ward/city office by officially registering the seal. Signature certificates (sign-shomeisho、which prove the authenticity of a signature) are available from your embassy or consulate.
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- 8. Decide the number of shares and the amount of capital.
- You must assign the number of shares to be issued at incorporation. The required capital is 1 yen or more.
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- 9. Decide on a payment handling bank.
- Some banks may not be willing to serve as a handling bank for a new customer. We recommend consulting with several banks at an early stage to prevent problems at a later stage.
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- 10. Create the Articles of Incorporation and have them notarized.
- The Japanese Notary Association offers a model form that you can use to create the Articles of Incorporation.
Japanese Notary Association (Japanese)
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- 11. Deposit the capital and receive a Certificate of Deposit Balance.
- Once the Articles of Incorporation have been notarized, you will need to deposit the capital with the handling bank and have them issue a Certificate of Deposit Balance.
This certificate should be submitted to the Legal Affairs Bureau when you apply to register your company. In the case of outside offerings, you are also required to provide a Certificate of Stock Payment Deposit.
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- 12. Submit the Application for the Establishment of a Corporation
- Submit the application and any other required documents to the ?Legal Affairs Bureau's? registry office. Documents may be submitted by mail, but you must use registered mail.
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- 13. Submit notification to the tax office.
- Submit the following three documents to the tax office immediately after the business has been established (incorporation): Notification of Commencement of Business、Application for Approval of Blue Tax Return, and the Notification of Establishment of Wage-Paying Office.
National Tax Agency
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- 14. Prepare any other required documentation.
- For additional documentation such as the following, please consult with a tax attorney and a certified social insurance labor consultant.⇒Tokyo Business Entry Point can introduce you to such professionals.
Notification of Current Condition of Newly Established Business Office
Notification of Establishment of Office Required to Provide Health Insurance and Public Pension
Notification of Employee Qualified for Health, Public Pension and Unemployment Insurance
If you have any questions about this process, please feel free to contact us for assistance.
