Japan Subsidiary & Branch Setup

We coordinate with relevant professionals to support foreign businesses entering Japan, from choosing an entity structure and preparing incorporation and certified documents to licensing and residence procedures.

Choosing a presence in Japan

Options for continuing business in Japan commonly include a Japanese subsidiary, such as a kabushiki kaisha or godo kaisha, a registered branch of a foreign company or a representative office. The choice should account for permitted activities, liability, financing, tax, residence status, banking and future expansion.

Services we provide

• Discuss your business, objectives and proposed officers
• Compare subsidiaries, branches and representative offices
• Help prepare articles of incorporation, minutes and affidavits
• Check overseas documents and arrange translation, notarization and authentication
• Coordinate incorporation and foreign-company registration with a judicial scrivener
• Identify licenses and notifications needed to begin business
• Residence applications for foreign managers and employees
• Post-establishment administrative procedures, change notifications and renewals

Subsidiary or branch: key differences

A Japanese subsidiary has a legal personality separate from its foreign parent and contracts independently in Japan. A branch operates as part of the foreign company and requires foreign-company registration and a representative in Japan. A representative office is generally limited to preparatory activities such as market research and information gathering, rather than direct business operations.

Preparing foreign documents

We identify evidence needed by Japanese authorities, such as the overseas company’s registration certificate, articles and documents appointing its representative. Notarization, apostilles, consular legalization and Japanese translations may be required depending on the country and document. Names, addresses, positions and dates must also be consistent across documents.

A typical setup process

1. Review the business plan and entity structure
2. Decide the name, location, capital and officers
3. Prepare overseas documents, articles and affidavits
4. Arrange authentication, capital payment and registration
5. Put tax, social insurance, banking and licensing arrangements in place
6. Complete residence procedures for managers and employees

Working with specialists

Registration, taxation and labor/social-insurance matters are handled by judicial scriveners, certified tax accountants and labor and social security attorneys respectively. As administrative scriveners, we focus on articles, authentication, licensing and immigration procedures, coordinating with the appropriate professionals as needed.

Eligibility, required documents and review periods vary by nationality, receiving authority and circumstances. We assess your situation at the initial consultation and explain the appropriate approach.