Insights & Guides
Practical knowledge on Japan market entry — from company setup and visas to trade logistics and branding.
Japan Representative Office (駐在員事務所): Market Testing Without Full Incorporation
What a Rep Office Can and Cannot Do, When Registration Is Required, and How to Know When to Graduate to Full Incorporation
Japan Bonded Warehouse and 保税地域 Guide: Duty Deferral, Re-Export, and the Five Zone Types Every Importer Should Know
Storing, Processing, and Re-Exporting Goods Without Paying Japanese Duty: How Bonded Zones, Bonded Warehouses, and Bonded Manufacturing Operations Work
How to Import from the US to Japan: Japan-US Trade Agreement, US Re-Export Controls, and Dual Compliance for Cross-Border Shipments in 2026
Importing from the United States to Japan carries a compliance profile that differs from every other major trade corridor. Two features make it distinctive. First, the Japan-US Trade Agreement is...
How to Import from the EU to Japan: Japan-EU EPA, REX Origin Statements, and the Regulatory Differences Every European Exporter Must Know
Yes, EU exporters can bring most goods into Japan at reduced or zero duty under the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (JEEPA, 経済連携協定), in force since February 2019. But tariff preference and...
Japan Customs Advance Ruling (事前教示制度) - How to Lock In HS Classification, Valuation, and Origin Before Your Shipment Arrives
The Pre-Import Binding Determination Mechanism That Eliminates Classification Risk for Recurring Shipments
Japan EPA Preference Utilization Guide - How to Claim Reduced Tariffs Under RCEP, CPTPP, EU-Japan EPA, and Bilateral Agreements in 2026
To claim a reduced or zero tariff rate at Japan Customs, an importer must confirm the goods satisfy the origin rule of a specific Economic Partnership Agreement (経済連携協定, EPA), obtain the correct...
Japan Export Control & 該非判定: How Exporters Determine Whether a Product Requires METI Permission Before Shipping from Japan
Exporters determine whether a product needs Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, METI, permission before shipping from Japan through commodity classification determination (該非判定): checking the...
Japan Private Equity M&A Guide: LBO Structures, Management Incentive Plans, and How PE Funds Execute Acquisitions
Japan has emerged as one of the most structurally compelling private equity markets in Asia, driven by aging business owners seeking succession solutions, large corporations divesting non-core...
Japan Transfer Pricing for Foreign-Owned Subsidiaries: NTA Rules, Documentation Requirements, and How to Avoid an Audit
Transfer pricing is the single area where the Japan National Tax Agency (国税庁, NTA) concentrates its greatest audit resources against foreign-owned entities. When a Japanese subsidiary transacts...
Japan Statutory Auditor (監査役) Requirements for Foreign-Owned KK: When You Need One, What They Do, and What Happens If You Skip It
Japan's Companies Act (会社法) gives small private Kabushiki-Kaisha, KK (株式会社) the flexibility to operate without a statutory auditor (監査役). Many foreign-owned KKs rely on that flexibility from day...