ENTER JAPAN

A practical contact point for your Japan market entry.

Overseas market entry can involve a Japanese entity, banking preparations, offices, local advisers and people. We help map the launch project and coordinate the agreed workstreams through a common point of contact.

Describe Your Situation → See project-wide budgets ↗

01 / What to think about before a consultation

What to think about before a consultation

Is this exploratory research, a branch office, or a subsidiary project?
Who is the decision-maker and where is the team based?
Which local professional workstreams have begun?
What is the target milestone or launch window?

02 / KIZUNA

How KIZUNA can help

Develop a communication and milestone plan with the relevant locally licensed specialists and service providers.
Arrange interpreted meetings, practical translation and document-request follow-through.
Maintain a clear view of open tasks, responsibilities, next steps and agreed completion criteria.

A MORE PRACTICAL GUIDE

Build an entry plan that includes the day after incorporation

For overseas companies, Japan entry is a multi-workstream programme. Entity choice is only one decision: governance, foreign exchange notifications, physical premises, hiring, banking and licensing may follow.

THE OPTIONS

Understand your options

Subsidiary (GK or KK)

A separate Japanese entity, with its own governance and tax obligations.

Japanese branch

An extension of the overseas company, with registration and representation questions requiring specialist review.

Representative office / preparatory presence

Useful for some preliminary activities, but generally not a substitute for a registered revenue-generating business.

DOCUMENTS & INFORMATION

What to prepare initially

Home company certificate/registration details and constitutional documents
Proposed Japan activity, revenue model, industries and expected headcount
Ownership chart and beneficial owners
Banking and office requirements, signatory structure and representative information
Target start date, budget and local hiring plans

A professional will confirm the complete, case-specific document list. Please do not send passports or financial records in the initial inquiry form.

THE ROADMAP

What happens, step by step

Map goals and regulatory dependencies

Clarify planned sales, staffing, activities and reporting needs; flag regulated sectors and foreign-exchange requirements.

Lead: Client + qualified advisers

Decide the operating footprint

Compare branch/subsidiary, office location, banking evidence, signatories and hiring plans.

Lead: Legal/tax/registration specialists

Implement the approved steps

Coordinate appointments, documents and the independent specialist engagements required for registration and set-up.

Lead: Specialists + KIZUNA

Support launch readiness

Coordinate bank-application preparation, local vendors, insurance and recurring professional relationships within the written scope.

Lead: KIZUNA + third parties

IMPORTANT BEFORE YOU COMMIT

Scope, timing and things that can change the budget

Some industries or cross-border investments trigger notifications or screening under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act; specialists must assess whether this applies.
Banks independently conduct account reviews, and office eligibility may also matter for an immigration application.
An enterprise-wide entry project can require additional professional and landlord fees beyond an initial launch package; these are confirmed in the written scope.

See the estimated whole-project budgets →

Questions people ask before engaging

Can you ensure we obtain a corporate bank account?

No. We can organise necessary communications and application preparation when scoped; each bank independently reviews the application.

Should we establish a branch or a KK?

The answer turns on legal, tax, operational and ownership factors. We coordinate input from suitably qualified advisers rather than deciding this unilaterally.

Sources for this guide

Checked against the linked official guidance on 24 October 2026. This is general information, not an individual legal, tax or immigration determination. Public rules and interpretations can change; a relevant licensed professional must review the current requirements before acting.

THE COMPLETE PICTURE

What might the whole process cost?

We estimate the whole standard project, including the qualified professionals and routine English-language coordination—without charging twice for everyday interpretation or translation.

INDICATIVE TOTAL CUSTOMER BUDGET¥1,200,000–¥2,500,000multi-workstream Japan launch (illustrative)

Illustrative combined budget for a subsidiary setup, initial specialist advice and KIZUNA bilingual management of the agreed launch.

ILLUSTRATIVE COMPLETE PROJECT BUDGET

Example: overseas company establishing a Japanese subsidiary

A single planning example covering the described standard scope, with routine bilingual support already included in the relevant service fee. Not a binding quote.

Incorporation/registration specialistProfessional fee¥300,000

Official filings and certificatesOfficial costs¥220,000

Initial tax and employment setup professionalsProfessional fee¥220,000

KIZUNA launch coordination + standard bilingual supportKIZUNA (includes routine language support)¥400,000

Estimated consumption tax on taxable feesTax¥92,000

Estimated overall customer payment for this example¥1,232,000

This is one limited launch scope, not a guaranteed full market entry at the stated amount. The agreed KIZUNA coordination fee includes normal bilingual meetings and email work.

Not included in this illustration

Capital investment, rent, employee salaries, specialised market research, residence applications, unusual document legalisation and other licencing needs.

These are market-aligned budget examples, not a fixed quote or a guarantee of outcome. Ordinary English-language coordination, agreed meetings and routine correspondence are already included in the scoped service fees; exceptional or certified translations are quoted separately only if needed. Licensed professionals independently contract for regulated work. You receive an itemised total estimate before paid work begins.

Request a complete estimate →Compare service budgets ↗

Who is responsible for regulated work

KIZUNA does not make legal, tax, banking, investment or regulatory determinations. Specialist contracts and any regulated services remain independent.

FAQ

Common questions

Do we need a subsidiary rather than a branch?

The appropriate structure depends on corporate, tax and operational factors. A qualified adviser should assess the options.

Can support be provided fully remotely?

Meetings and language support can usually be remote. Some underlying procedures may still require original documents, local presence or physical delivery.

Can we coordinate several advisers?

Yes, subject to their acceptance and an agreed communications scope; each retains responsibility for their professional advice.

Official starting points

Official guidance may change; check the issuing authority for the latest version.

JAPAN GUIDE