Free 60-minute initial consultation / Online or in person in Tokyo / Reply within one business day
Who I work with
I advise people and companies who need Japanese tax and accounting handled properly and explained clearly, in English.
Founders starting a business in Japan
Whether to set up a KK or a GK, how much capital to put in, when your fiscal year should end, and which tax notifications to file. I also review business plans for the Business Manager visa.
New to Japan? Start here: your first year, step by step →
Overseas companies operating in Japan
Bookkeeping, corporate tax and consumption tax filings for your Japanese subsidiary or branch, with monthly figures your head office can follow.
Cross-border M&A and investment
Financial and tax due diligence, valuation and IPO readiness, including support for listings outside Japan.
Individuals living in Japan
Annual income tax returns for employees with income beyond their salary, freelancers, and residents with income or assets overseas, including the year you arrive in or leave Japan.
How I work
Act with integrity
I deal honestly with the numbers and the facts. When something needs to be said, even if it is not what you hoped to hear, I tell you directly and explain why.
Look deeper
I do not stop at the figures. I look at the business and the management issues behind them.
Take on challenges together
I do not just give an opinion from the sidelines. I think things through from your side of the table, including decisions that have no obvious answer.
- I personally handle every engagement, from the first meeting onward
- Replies within one business day
- Support designed around your situation, not a fixed package
Services
From day-to-day bookkeeping to year-end filings, fundraising and capital strategy. Engage me for the full package or only for the part you need.
- Company setup in Japan — entity choice, capital, fiscal year and tax notifications
- Business Manager visa — review and confirmation of your business plan
- Tax and accounting for companies — monthly review, year-end closing and tax returns
- Bookkeeping — on freee, Money Forward and other cloud accounting software
- Due diligence, valuation and IPO readiness — including cross-border deals and overseas listings
- Personal income tax returns — for residents of Japan, including those with overseas income
Fees
Every engagement is quoted individually. After the free initial consultation, I will send you a written quote setting out the scope of work and the total fee. Nothing is charged until you decide to go ahead.
About me
I am Haruki Yokoyama, a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Public Tax Accountant in Japan. I spent six years auditing listed and pre-IPO companies at EY ShinNihon LLC, two years in Melbourne helping Japanese companies with accounting, tax and their operations in Australia, and two years in financial advisory at Minamiaoyama Advisory Group, working on due diligence and valuation.
My company, Yokoyama Associates, began in 1992 as my parents’ architecture firm in Yanaka, Tokyo, the neighborhood where I now practice. Read my full profile →
How it works
- Get in touch — send a message through the contact form. I will reply within one business day.
- Free initial consultation — 60 minutes, online or in person in Tokyo.
- Proposal and quote — I set out the scope of support and the fee in writing.
- Engagement — if you are happy with the proposal, we sign an engagement agreement. There is no charge up to this point.
- We get started — you share your records and we begin regular communication.
Frequently asked questions
Do you work in English?
Yes. We can meet and correspond in English. Tax returns themselves are filed in Japanese, and I will walk you through what has been filed and why.
I have not set up my company yet. Is it too early to talk?
It is the best time. Decisions such as whether to incorporate, how much capital to put in and when your fiscal year ends are hard to change later. Let’s get them right first.
Can you handle my visa application?
For the Business Manager visa, your business plan must be reviewed by a CPA, a certified tax accountant or a certified SME management consultant, and I can do that review. The visa application itself is prepared by you or a licensed immigration specialist (gyoseishoshi). I do not prepare immigration documents, but I am happy to work alongside your specialist.
Can I switch from my current tax accountant?
Yes. I will tell you what needs to be handed over and when to make the switch, which is usually at the end of a fiscal year.
Do I need a monthly retainer?
No. One-off work is welcome: a single tax return, one year-end filing, or a second opinion on advice you have already received.
Do you work with clients outside Tokyo?
Yes. I work online with clients anywhere in Japan and overseas, and I can meet clients in Tokyo in person.
Let’s start with a 60-minute conversation.
The first consultation is free. I will reply within one business day.