Insights & Guides
Practical knowledge on Japan market entry — from company setup and visas to trade logistics and branding.
Why Does 'Disrupting the Market' Language Fail With Japanese B2B Buyers? (2026)
Direct translation of Western hype language, "disrupting the market," "revolutionizing X," "10x your Y," reads in Japan as unverified ad-tech jargon rather than confidence. Japanese B2B buyers...
Does Your Japan Distribution Contract Need a No Agency / No Partnership Clause? (2026)
Yes. A Japan distribution or sales-representative contract without a no agency / no partnership clause leaves open the risk that a court or counterparty reads the local rep as holding authority to...
Can You Pay Japan Company Capital With Equipment Instead of Cash? (2026)
Yes. Japan's Companies Act (会社法) permits an in-kind contribution (現物出資, genbutsu shusshi) of equipment, real property, securities, or intellectual property in place of a cash deposit for either a...
Can a Japan Importer of Record Import Goods Before You Have a Buyer? (2026)
Yes. A Japan Importer of Record can bring goods into Japan and hold them before a downstream buyer is secured, provided a disposal path is agreed before the import declaration (輸入申告) is filed, not...
How Much Can a Japan KK Deduct for Client Meals in 2026?
A Japan subsidiary with paid-in capital of JPY 100,000,000 or below can deduct the greater of a flat JPY 8,000,000 annual allowance or 50% of eligible entertainment meal spend. A larger company...
Japan Management Visa Processing Time in 2026: What to Budget For
The published standard processing period (標準処理期間) for a Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書交付申請) is 1 to 3 months, but Japan's Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁) reported an actual average...
Does an ACP Appointment Cover Japan's Domestic Administrator (国内管理人) Requirement?
No. Appointing an Attorney for Customs Procedures (ACP, 税関事務管理人) under Article 95 of the Customs Act (関税法) has no bearing on the Domestic Administrator (国内管理人) requirement under the Consumer...
Does a Pet Supplement Need a Japan Pet Food Safety Act Notification? (2026)
Yes. Any dog or cat product sold to supply nutrition, including marine-oil softgels and joint chews, falls under the Pet Food Safety Act (愛がん動物用飼料の安全性の確保に関する法律), which requires a business...
Home-Country Capital Controls and Japan Company Setup: Does Rerouting the Payment Actually Work? (2026)
No. If a founder's home country restricts outbound capital-account transfers, sending the share-capital payment (払込) through a third country or an offshore personal account first does not make the...
Does a Baby Bed Rail Need a Japan Safety Mark in 2026?
Yes. An infant bed guard (乳幼児用ベッドガード) designed to stop a child under 60 months from falling out of a bed became a designated Child PSC Mark (子供用特定製品) product on 2026-07-08. From 2027-07-08 it...