Insights & Guides
Practical knowledge on Japan market entry — from company setup and visas to trade logistics and branding.
Does Japan Business Etiquette Change Your Email Signature? (2026)
Japan business etiquette does change an email signature, but the changes are practical rather than mandatory. Name order can follow the government's 2019 recommendation for family-name-first in...
Does a Japan Contract Termination Clause Need a Cure Period? (2026)
For a non-material breach, yes: the Civil Code (民法) Article 541 requires the non-breaching party to give a reasonable cure period before terminating. For a material breach, no: Article 542 permits...
Who Is Legally Responsible for a Japan Dangerous Goods Shipper's Declaration? (2026)
The signatory of a Dangerous Goods Declaration (DGD) carries full legal responsibility for that shipment's regulatory conformity and must hold current IATA/ICAO dangerous goods training...
Can a Japan ACP Appointment Be Backdated to Cover a Shipment That Already Cleared Customs? (2026)
No. An Attorney for Customs Procedures (税関事務管理人) appointment cannot be backdated to cover a shipment that already cleared. The notification that creates the appointment must be on file with Japan...
Does Japan Company Registered Capital Have to Be Paid In Yen? The Exchange-Rate Risk Non-Resident Founders Miss (2026)
Yes. Registered capital (資本金) for a Japan KK or GK is fixed and tracked in Japanese yen, not in the founder's home currency. A non-resident founder who scopes a company around a foreign-currency...
Does an Imported Food Product Need a Japanese-Language Label to Sell in Japan? Food Labeling Standards Explained (2026)
Yes. Any food product sold at retail in Japan, imported or domestic, must carry a Japanese-language label meeting the Food Labeling Standards (食品表示基準), administered by the Consumer Affairs Agency...
Does a Non-Resident Seller Need to Register as a Qualified Invoice Issuer in Japan? (2026 Guide)
A non-resident company is not legally compelled to register as a Qualified Invoice Issuer (適格請求書発行事業者), but if it sells to Japan-based business buyers without registering, those buyers lose the...
Does a Japan Importer of Record Have Packaging Recycling Obligations in 2026?
Yes. A business that imports packaged goods for sale in Japan is normally designated a specified business operator (特定事業者) under the Containers and Packaging Recycling Act (容器包装リサイクル法) and bears a...
Does an Imported Food Product Need a Business Notification (営業届出) to Sell in Japan?
No. Importing a sealed, retail-packaged, ambient-stable food product and reselling it unopened does not require a business notification (営業届出) under the Food Sanitation Act (食品衛生法). The Act...
Does Your Home Country Need an Apostille or Consular Legalization for a Japan Company Filing? (2026)
It depends on whether your home country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. If it is, a single apostille stamp on your notarized document is enough for the Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局) to...