Japan Incorporation

Set Up Your Company in Japan

Choose the right Japan company structure and carry it through to registration with one bilingual team. We coordinate the Articles, notarisation when required, judicial-scrivener review and filing.

Get my company setup plan Compare KK & GK

No documents needed for the first assessment · Response within one business day

Setup fee preview

Choose the structure first. See the fee now.

Aplash fees are shown separately from statutory, notarial and external-professional costs.

KK 株式会社

Fundraising, joint ventures, enterprise contracting and future institutional governance.

Aplash service feeFrom $3,000Estimated statutory, notarisation and seal costs (~$1,270–1,535) are billed separately at cost
Assess the KK route

GK 合同会社

Wholly owned subsidiaries, owner-managed businesses and teams that value flexible internal governance.

Aplash service feeFrom $1,900Estimated statutory and seal costs (~$470–600) are billed separately at cost
Assess the GK route
Direct answer

Can a foreign founder set up a company in Japan?

Yes. A foreign founder or overseas company can generally establish a KK or GK without a Japanese shareholder.

  • 100%Foreign ownership is generally permitted
  • Usually not requiredJapan-resident director
  • 1–2 weeksTypical registry processing after a complete filing
A registered office, capital-payment evidence and case-specific documents are still required. Allow roughly 3 weeks–2 months overall for professional review, notarisation where applicable and authority processing.
Choose the operating route

A new company, or a faster path to readiness?

For an overseas founder who needs a company and a practical banking route, a pre-screened candidate company is often the first acquisition option we assess. A new KK or GK remains the better fit when clean-slate governance, lower entry cost or a purpose-built equity structure matters more.

Route decision record

Pre-screened candidate-company acquisition

Acquire an existing corporate record and, where available, take its established bank relationship through new-owner KYC and change-of-control review.

Best fit
Overseas founders who need a Japanese operating company and a practical banking route, not only a new registration.
What to prepare
Buyer identity, ownership and source-of-funds evidence, intended business activity, and the candidate company's registry, tax, financial, liability, licence and bank records.
Who handles the work
Aplash coordinates target review, diligence and the acquisition record. The judicial scrivener handles post-close registry changes; the bank conducts its own new-owner review.
Filing and registration gate
The share transfer proceeds only after agreed diligence and closing conditions. Ownership, director, address and purpose changes are then filed as required.
Banking implication
An existing relationship may offer a practical starting point, but it is not a bank-account sale or approval. Continued access depends on the bank's independent change-of-control review.
Decision pointOur diligence verifies corporate history, liabilities, tax, licences and bank status before we recommend a target or complete the share transfer.
Get my company setup plan View acquisition options and diligence
Kabushiki Kaisha / Godo Kaisha10
Route you are considering
Kabushiki Kaisha株式会社

Japan's joint-stock corporation, the gold standard for credibility.

Godo Kaisha合同会社

Japan's LLC equivalent: lean, fast, and cost-efficient.

Entity type
Joint-stock corporation
Limited liability company
Minimum capital
JPY 1
JPY 1
Articles notarisation
Required at 公証役場
Not required
Government fees
≈ $1,270–1,535
≈ $470–600
Setup timeline
Plan about 3 weeks–2 months
Plan about 3 weeks–2 months
Credibility
Highest: banks, enterprise, listing
Solid for subsidiaries
Profit distribution
By shareholding ratio
Freely agreed by members
Annual disclosure
Required
Not required
Best for
Fundraising, JV, regulated, IPO track
Subsidiaries, lean owner-run
In use by
Most listed & funded firms
Amazon · Apple · Google Japan
Who does what

One team, with each filing handled by the right professional.

Aplash remains your point of contact while the administrative scrivener, judicial scrivener and notary complete their respective work.

Aplash coordination team

Needs assessment, route comparison, bilingual project coordination, evidence checklist, status and handover.

Aplash administrative scrivener (行政書士)

Drafts the Articles of Incorporation and applicable administrative applications within the agreed scope.

Judicial scrivener (司法書士)

Reviews the corporate-registration package and files the incorporation registration with the Legal Affairs Bureau.

Notary (公証人)

Notarises KK Articles when required.

Engagement process

Five stages from decision to handover.

Plan about 3 weeks–2 months overall. Our typical working estimate for registry processing is 1–2 weeks after a filing-ready package is submitted.

  1. 01

    Confirm your needs

    Assess KK, GK or shelf-company suitability and confirm ownership, visa, director, registered-address, banking and timing requirements.

    Route brief and information checklist
  2. 02

    Agreement and payment

    Approve the scope, licensed-professional responsibilities, exclusions, third-party costs and payment schedule.

    Signed engagement and payment confirmation
  3. 03

    Receive and validate documents

    Submit identity, ownership, address, capital and business-purpose evidence. We check completeness and resolve gaps before filing.

    Validated, filing-ready evidence record
  4. 04

    Notarise and submit

    The administrative scrivener prepares the Articles and applicable applications; a notary notarises KK Articles when required; the judicial scrivener reviews and files the registration. Registry processing is often 1–2 weeks after complete filing.

    Registry submission and status record
  5. 05

    Registration and handover

    After registration, receive the corporate record and a clearly separated plan for any tax, banking, visa, address or operating work.

    Corporate-record handover and next-action map
~1–2 weeks registry processing after a complete filing~3 weeks–2 months practical end-to-end planning rangeThe fastest engagements begin with founder IDs, overseas certificates, registered-address details and capital evidence ready.
Before filing

What You Need to Incorporate

Before filing, confirm the name, registered office, paid-in capital, Articles, directors and supporting records. Settling these items early reduces corrections and delays at the Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局).

Company Name ReviewCheck the proposed name against the Legal Affairs Bureau database. Use Japanese characters or Latin script.Review detailClose detail
Why it matters

We pre-screen the name before filing.

Paid-in CapitalLegal minimum: JPY 1. The chosen amount affects bank onboarding and commercial credibility. Business Manager Visa cases follow separate capital rules.Review detailClose detail
Why it matters

We coordinate payment evidence and prepare the bank-account application package.

Business Manager Visa capital requirements
Articles of IncorporationThe Articles define the company's purpose, structure and governance. KK Articles normally require notarisation at a Japanese notary office (公証役場).Review detailClose detail
Why it matters

Our administrative scrivener drafts them; the judicial scrivener reviews and files the registration.

Corporate SealRegister the corporate seal (法人印鑑) used to authenticate company documents.Review detailClose detail
Why it matters

We coordinate seal production and registration.

Representative DirectorAll representative directors may live overseas. Banks, landlords and counterparties can still impose their own onboarding requirements.Review detailClose detail
Why it matters

We advise on governance and optional Japan-side operating support.

Verify with Japan's Ministry of Justice
Built for cross-border evidence

The working record behind a Japan incorporation.

Founder instructions, source documents and professional handoffs remain traceable through registration.

After engagement, one workspace keeps documents, approvals and status visible to your team.

Founder decision record

Structure, ownership, capital, address and timing instructions are tied to their source and owner.

Bilingual Articles instruction

English working instructions stay aligned with the Japanese Articles, applications and filing record.

Professional handoff register

Questions and documents are assigned to the administrative scrivener, judicial scrivener, notary or downstream specialist.

Filing and registry status

Document readiness, notarisation, submission and registry handover stay visible to the client team.

Published service fees

Company setup fees

Your proposal itemises Aplash fees and any statutory, notary or external-professional costs.

KK

KK Incorporation

Estimated statutory, notarisation and seal costs (~$1,270–1,535) are billed separately at cost

From $3,000
Includes
  • Articles drafted by our administrative scrivener (行政書士); notarisation coordinated when required
  • Registration reviewed and filed by a judicial scrivener (司法書士)
  • Corporate seal (法人印鑑) creation & registration
  • NTA tax registration support
  • Corporate bank account coordination
  • All documents in English and Japanese
GK

GK Incorporation

Estimated statutory and seal costs (~$470–600) are billed separately at cost

From $1,900
Includes
  • Articles drafted by our administrative scrivener (行政書士)
  • Registration reviewed and filed by a judicial scrivener (司法書士)
  • Corporate seal creation & registration
  • NTA tax registration support
  • Corporate bank account coordination
  • All documents in English and Japanese
Non-Resident Incorporation

You don't need to live in Japan to incorporate

Since March 2015, all representative directors may reside overseas. Depending on the investor, sector, and transaction, a FEFTA filing may also be required. Aplash coordinates filing-ready evidence, registered-office arrangements, and optional Japan-side support.

Common Challenges for Non-Residents
  • Capital payment must be supported by eligible account records and filing-ready evidence
  • Corporate seal registration requires physical coordination in Japan
  • Signature certificates (サイン証明書) needed instead of inkan for foreigners without Japanese address
  • A FEFTA filing may be required depending on the investor, sector, ownership and transaction; classify it before funding
After you incorporate.

What happens after your company is registered

  • Tax registration with NTA within 2 months: corporate tax, JCT, payroll withholding
  • Qualified Invoice System (適格請求書) registration strongly recommended
  • Social insurance enrollment: health insurance and pension mandatory for all corporations
  • Annual accounting and statutory filings are scoped separately after incorporation.
  • KK must file annual financial statements with the Legal Affairs Bureau
Common questions

Frequently asked questions.

Structure, responsibility, timing and realistic outcomes, answered before you enquire.

Who drafts and files the company-formation documents?

Aplash coordinates the engagement. Our administrative scrivener (行政書士) drafts the Articles and applicable administrative applications. A judicial scrivener (司法書士) reviews the corporate-registration package and files it. A notary notarises KK Articles when required.

Should I choose a KK, GK or shelf company?

A KK often suits fundraising, joint ventures and institutional governance. A GK often suits lean subsidiaries and owner-managed operations. For an overseas founder who needs to begin real operations, a shelf-company acquisition may be the first route to assess: it provides an existing corporate record and may include an established bank relationship to take through new-owner review. The transaction requires corporate, tax, liability, licence and bank diligence before the shares change hands.

How long does company incorporation in Japan take?

Registry processing is often 1–2 weeks after a complete filing. For the full engagement, plan approximately 3 weeks–2 months because overseas certificates, notarisation, corrections and authority review affect timing.

What can delay incorporation?

Missing overseas certificates, address issues, capital-payment evidence, KK notarisation and filing corrections are the most common causes. We identify these before submission.

What happens after registration?

We hand over the corporate record and map the next tax, banking, visa, address and operating actions that apply to your company.

What should I include in my first enquiry?

Include founder and owner locations, proposed activities, target date, capital range, visa needs, director plan, Japan registered-address status, banking requirements and whether you would consider an existing shelf company.

Have more questions? View all FAQs

Tell us enough to recommend the right route.

Share your ownership, planned activities, target date, visa position, director plan, Japan address, banking needs and whether you are open to a shelf-company acquisition.

Will anyone require a Japan visa? (optional)
Do you need Japan-side director or administrative support? (optional)
Do you need a registered address? (optional)
Supporting documents are requested securely after the initial review.No obligation. We never share your details.By submitting you agree to our Privacy Policy.
The Aplash lifecycle

One partner across your Japan journey.

  1. Stage 01Test the marketImport and sell through IOR or ACP with no Japan entity required.Explore
  2. Stage 02IncorporateEstablish a KK or GK once your volume justifies your own entity.You are here
  3. Stage 03OperateRun the business with ongoing tax, visas, and compliance handled.Explore

From the journal.

Field notes on structuring and operating a company in Japan for foreign founders and international teams.

View all articles
Company Setup

Japan KK Capital From a Transfer-Restricted Country: Can It Still Be Funded? (2026)

Yes. A founder whose home country limits personal outbound transfers can still incorporate a KK or GK and reach the JPY 30,000,000 Business Manager visa (経営・管理) capital threshold, but the fix sits...

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How Do You Pay In Capital for a Japan Company With No Japan Bank Account? (2026)

You do not need a personal Japan bank account to pay in share capital (資本金) when incorporating a Japan company from overseas. Companies Act (会社法) Article 34, Paragraph 2 allows a Japan-resident...

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What Happens When a Japan KK or GK Enters Civil Rehabilitation? (2026 Guide)

When a foreign-owned Japan KK or GK subsidiary files for Civil Rehabilitation (民事再生), the existing representative director and management team keep running the business while a rehabilitation plan...

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How Do You Add a New Business Line to an Existing Japan KK or GK? (2026 目的 Amendment Guide)

Amending a Japan KK or GK's registered business purpose (目的) clause requires a shareholders' or members' resolution to change the Articles of Incorporation (定款), then a registration filing with...

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Japan Company Fiscal Year-End: How Should a Foreign-Owned KK or GK Choose One in 2026?

Japan does not require a calendar-year fiscal year. A foreign-owned Kabushiki Kaisha (KK, 株式会社) or Godo Kaisha (GK, 合同会社) picks any month-end as its fiscal year-end and states it in the Articles...

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Does a Japan GK Have to Publish Financial Statements in 2026?

No. A Godo Kaisha (合同会社, GK) carries no statutory duty to publish its annual balance sheet. That obligation, known as 決算公告 (financial statement publication), attaches only to a Kabushiki Kaisha...

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