Insights & Guides
Practical knowledge on Japan market entry — from company setup and visas to trade logistics and branding.
Japan Customs IP Recordation for Non-Resident Brand Owners: Why Enforcement Filing Sits Outside Your IOR Arrangement (2026)
A foreign brand that has structured legitimate imports into Japan through an Importer of Record (IOR) arrangement is often surprised to learn that a genuine, properly declared shipment has nothing...
Japan EOR and Benefits-in-Kind: Why Company Housing (社宅) and Commuter Allowance (通勤手当) Trip Up Foreign Employers (2026)
Foreign employers building a compensation package for a Japan hire through an Employer of Record (EOR) arrangement tend to focus on salary, bonus, and statutory social insurance, and treat...
Japan EOR and Paid Annual Leave: The 5-Day Mandatory Usage Rule Foreign Employers Miss (2026)
Foreign companies hiring their first employee in Japan through an Employer of Record (EOR) tend to treat paid annual leave (年次有給休暇) as a minor HR line item, something the EOR provider tracks in...
Does Japan EOR Cover the Probation Period? What Employer of Record Actually Handles in Your New Hire's First Months (2026)
Foreign employers frequently ask whether a probation period (試用期間) under a Japan Employer of Record (EOR) arrangement functions the way it does at home: a window in which a new hire can be let go...
The Document Checklist That Keeps Your First Japan IOR or ACP Shipment From Stalling at Customs (2026)
Most first-shipment delays into Japan are not caused by a difficult product or an obscure regulation. They are caused by a foreign company requesting a quote, receiving one, booking freight, and...
Adding New Products to Your Japan IOR: What Changes When You Expand Beyond Your Original SKUs (2026)
A foreign company that has an Importer of Record (IOR) arrangement running in Japan for one product line usually assumes the hard part is done. The importer of record is in place, customs...
Japan IOR for Musical Instruments and Professional Audio Equipment: Import Compliance for Foreign Manufacturers (2026)
Japan is one of the largest markets in the world for imported musical instruments and professional audio equipment, from acoustic guitars and orchestral instruments to studio monitors, mixing...
Employer of Record vs Haken (人材派遣) in Japan: Why Dispatch Staffing Law Doesn't Cover What EOR Does (2026)
Foreign companies scoping their first Japan hire frequently get pointed toward a 人材派遣 (haken, worker dispatch) agency, since dispatch staffing is the dominant and most familiar form of flexible...
Importer of Record vs Consignee in Japan: Why the Difference Determines Who Is Legally Liable for Your Shipment (2026)
Foreign shippers new to the Japan market often use "consignee" and "importer" as if they were interchangeable. They are not, and the gap between them is where a surprising number of first-time...
Japan EOR and the Twice-Yearly Bonus: How Employer of Record Handles Shoyo (賞与) and Total Compensation Planning (2026)
A foreign company hiring its first employee in Japan through an Employer of Record (EOR) arrangement typically anchors its budget on gross monthly salary and a handful of statutory add-ons. What...