For founders from overseas who are starting a company in Japan. From incorporation to your first tax return, I tell you what to do, when to do it, and why.
Free 60-minute initial consultation / Online or in person in Tokyo / Reply within one business day
This page is for you if…
- You are setting up a company in Japan, or you set one up in the last 12 months.
- You have not filed your company’s first tax return yet.
- You do not know which tax forms to file, or by when.
- Your bookkeeping is not set up yet, or you are not sure it is done the Japanese way.
- You are applying for, or renewing, a Business Manager visa.
I work in English and Japanese. Restaurants, trading, IT, consulting, real estate or something else: any industry is welcome.
Start here: the Japan Tax & Accounting Start Check
Not ready for a monthly contract? Start with one meeting.
In the Start Check, we sit down for 60 minutes and go through your company, your plans and your records. Within 7 business days after the meeting, I send you four documents in English.
- Your tax calendar — every filing and payment your company must make, with the exact due date, up to your first tax return.
- Your records checklist — which documents to keep, how long to keep them, and which ones to send to me.
- Your bookkeeping plan — how to record sales and expenses each day, and how to set up cloud accounting software such as freee or Money Forward.
- Your priorities — the issues I found, and what to do first.
After the Start Check, you know exactly what to do next. You can then do it yourself, or ask me to help.
Fee: JPY 50,000 (excluding consumption tax) / JPY 55,000 (including consumption tax)
Payment by bank transfer before the meeting.
What happens after the Start Check
You choose how much support you need. Each step is optional.
| Step | What I do | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Start Check | Review your company and records | You know what to do, and in what order |
| 2. Set-up | Set up cloud accounting and your bookkeeping process | Your books run every month without stress |
| 3. Ongoing support | Monthly review, tax returns and tax questions | One adviser who knows your company |
| 4. Growth | Cash flow, budgets and financing | You make decisions based on your numbers |
Fees for steps 2 to 4 are quoted individually in writing. Nothing is charged until you agree to the quote.
Your first year in Japan: key tax deadlines
These are the main deadlines for a new company. The Start Check turns this list into exact dates for your company.
| What | Where | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Notification of incorporation | Tax office | Within 2 months after incorporation |
| Notification of incorporation (local taxes) | Prefectural and city tax offices | Set by each local government (Tokyo: within 15 days after incorporation, to the Tokyo Metropolitan tax office. In the 23 wards, no separate filing to the ward office) |
| Application for blue-form tax return approval | Tax office | By the day before the earlier of: (a) the date 3 months after incorporation, or (b) the last day of your first fiscal year |
| Notification of a payroll office | Tax office | Within 1 month after setting up an office that pays salaries, including directors’ pay |
| Directors’ pay | Your company | Decide the amount within 3 months after the start of each fiscal year, and pay the same amount every month |
| Withholding tax on salaries | Tax office | By the 10th of the following month (companies with fewer than 10 employees can apply to pay twice a year: by July 10 and January 20) |
| Year-end payroll adjustment and statutory reports | Tax office and city office | By January 31 |
| Corporate tax, local taxes and consumption tax returns | Tax office and local tax offices | Within 2 months after your fiscal year ends |
Consumption tax in the first two years. Many new companies do not pay consumption tax in their first two years. But if your share capital is JPY 10,000,000 or more at the start of the fiscal year, your company pays consumption tax from its first fiscal year. Under the Business Manager visa rules, many founders now put in JPY 30,000,000, so this often applies. Registering for the qualified invoice system also changes the answer. We decide this together before you incorporate.
This table is a summary. The rules for your company depend on its situation. Please do not rely on it without advice.
Business Manager visa: how I fit in
Since October 16, 2025, the business plan for a Business Manager (keiei-kanri) visa must be reviewed by a certified SME management consultant, a CPA or a certified tax accountant. I am a CPA and a certified tax accountant, so I can review your plan. I check that your figures, such as sales, costs, salaries and cash, match how the business will really run.
The visa application itself is prepared by you or a licensed immigration specialist (gyoseishoshi). I do not prepare immigration documents. I work with gyoseishoshi who handle company set-up and visas, and with your consent we share information, so you do not have to explain the same thing twice.
| Who | What they do |
|---|---|
| Gyoseishoshi (immigration specialist) | Visa application and related procedures |
| Judicial scrivener (shiho-shoshi) | Company registration |
| Me (CPA and tax accountant) | Business plan review, accounting and tax |
Why work with me
- I know what it is like to work under a new system. I worked in Melbourne for two years, helping Japanese companies with accounting, tax and their operations in Australia. I explain Japanese rules the way I wish they had been explained to me.
- Your numbers are reliable from day one. I spent six years auditing listed and pre-IPO companies at EY ShinNihon LLC. I set up your books so that banks, investors and the tax office can trust them.
- More than tax returns. I spent two years in financial advisory at Minamiaoyama Advisory Group, working on due diligence and valuation. When you need to raise money or make a big decision, I can help you read the numbers.
- Less paperwork for you. I use cloud accounting and AI tools, so you can send records by photo or upload, in English.
- A neighborhood adviser. I practice in Yanaka, an old Tokyo neighborhood. I want people from many countries to run businesses here and become part of the community. I handle every engagement personally, from the first meeting onward.
Frequently asked questions
Do you work in English?
Yes. We can meet and write in English. Tax returns are filed in Japanese. I explain to you in English what was filed and why.
My company is not registered yet. Is it too early?
No. It is the best time. The type of company, the amount of capital and the fiscal year-end are hard to change later.
What is the difference between the free consultation and the Start Check?
In the free consultation, you tell me about your business and I tell you how I can help and what it costs. In the Start Check, I review your company and records in detail, and you receive the four documents above. Many clients start with the free consultation and then book the Start Check.
Do I have to sign a monthly contract after the Start Check?
No. The Start Check is a one-time service. You decide afterwards.
I already have a tax accountant. Can I switch?
Yes. I tell you what to hand over and when to switch. The end of a fiscal year is usually the best time.
Can we do everything online?
Yes. Meetings, documents and payment can all be done online. I also meet clients in person in Tokyo.
Who will I sign the contract with?
Tax work is contracted with Haruki Yokoyama Tax Accountant Office. Consulting work, such as valuation and due diligence, is contracted with Yokoyama Associates Co., Ltd.
Starting a business in Japan? Talk to me first.
The first consultation is free and takes 60 minutes. I will reply within one business day.