BusinessJapan8 Things To Know Before You Consider Registering A Branch Office In Japan

December 15, 2021by Tetra Consultants2
https://x5v6w2n8.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/pexels-david-dibert-2365159.jpg

Boasting the third-largest economy in the world, Japan is an ideal place to set up a business due to its strong work ethic, long-term political stability and well-developed supporting infrastructure. Typically, foreign business owners tend to consider a subsidiary company (limited liability company/joint stock company) or a branch office when aiming to register company in Japan. Due to the lower amount of paperwork and costs required in setting up a branch office, it may sometimes be more ideal to set up a branch office instead of a subsidiary company. As such, the branch office is a rather popular business entity for foreign companies planning to establish a business in Japan to gain access to the lucrative Japan market and surrounding Asian market. Before registering a branch office in Japan, it is important to get a better understanding of the structure of a branch office in Japan, as well as its advantages and disadvantages.

8 things to know before registering a branch office in Japan

registering-a-branch-office-in-japan-things-to-know

#1 A branch office and its parent company are not separate legal entities.

  • A branch office is regarded as an extension of the parent company, and so it will have the same company name as its parent company. Since the branch office and the parent company are regarded as the same legal entity, the parent company will be held liable for any debts and obligations incurred by the branch office. This also means that if the parent company is closed down, the branch office will also be liquidated. The purpose of a branch office is to extend the foreign parent company’s operation to Japan and generate revenue for it.

#2 A branch office is required to pay corporate taxes.

  • Since a Japanese branch office is regarded as a Permanent Establishment in Japan, it will be required to pay corporate taxes on the profits earned from the branch office based on Japan corporate tax rates. Unlike a subsidiary company, branch offices will not be required to pay withholding tax (WHT) on the repatriation of profits from the branch to the parent company.
  • A branch office in Japan can also choose to apply for blue form tax status. This will allow the company to file a blue form tax return for subsequent years. A blue form tax return is more simplified than a normal tax return and will allow the company to enjoy certain tax benefits such as a deduction of taxable income and the ability to carry forward losses to reduce income taxes in the next few years. 

#3 A branch office in Japan must have a local representative.

  • All branch offices in Japan must appoint a local representative to represent the company in Japan and liaise with local institutions. While there is no nationality requirement for the local representative, the local representative must be residing in Japan under a valid long-term visa. In Japan, it is mandatory for all companies to have an official seal. For a branch office, the local representative will be the one who registers the company seal with the local Legal Affairs Bureau. Only the local representative of a branch office is authorised to use the company seal.

#4 There is no minimum capital requirement for registering a branch office in Japan.

  • Previously, a branch office in Japan was a more attractive option for foreign business owners because there was no minimum paid-up share capital requirement during the incorporation of the company. However, with the abolishment of the minimum capital requirement of JPY 10,000,000 for a joint stock company under the Companies Act, business owners are no longer required to possess capital to incorporate a limited liability company or a joint stock company in Japan. As such, there is no advantage in terms of capital requirement when incorporating a branch office in Japan.

#5 A branch office cannot conduct business activities of a different nature from its parent company.

  • The scale and scope of a branch office’s business activities will be determined by its parent company. Since the branch office is considered to be the same legal entity as its parent company, it cannot conduct business activities that are not performed by the parent company. Hence, it may be more ideal to incorporate a limited liability company if you wish to open a subsidiary company that conducts business activities beyond the scope of your foreign company.

#6 A branch office must file the financial accounts of their parent company.

  • Although a branch office is only required to pay corporate taxes on the income derived from the branch office, it must declare the income and assets of its parent company and submit audited financial statements of its parent company if applicable. A Japanese branch office is also required to file financial statements together with its tax return annually. 

#7 A branch office must have a registered office in Japan.

  • Like a limited liability company, a branch office must have a registered office address in Japan. This address is necessary for the company to receive official mail. The address of the company will be registered under the Bureau of Legal Affairs during the Japan company registration.

#8 A branch office does not need additional officeholders.

  • Unlike a limited liability company, there is no need to appoint directors or a management team to administer the company. A branch office in Japan can be registered solely with a local representative. This is because the Board of Directors in the parent company will be the one in charge of managing and overseeing business operations conducted by the branch office in Japan. This allows the parent company to have greater control over business activities in the representative office. Hence, it may be more attractive to open a branch office instead of a limited liability company if you wish to expand operations to Japan without hiring a separate management team.

Considering registering a branch office in Japan?

Generally, business owners may choose to set up a branch office due to the less stringent requirements and lower administration and registration costs. However, you may wish to consider setting up a limited liability company if you wish to start a business in Japan that is of a different nature from your foreign parent company. Alternatively, if you plan to conduct non-commercial activities that do not generate revenue, it may be more ideal to open a representative office in Japan. This will allow your company to conduct market research and initiate marketing campaigns in Japan without having to register with any legal authorities in Japan.

Setting up a business in Japan can be a difficult process because of the language barrier. The business language in Japan is Japanese and all corporate documents must be written in Japanese. Even though there is no requirement for a resident director for a Japanese company, it is recommended to hire a nominee director who is fluent in Japanese and able to communicate with governmental and financial institutions to register for the required services. 

Tetra Consultants provides you with a fast and easy way to register company in Japan through our service package which includes company registration with the Japan Registry Office (Houmukyoku); provision of Japan nominee director, local company secretary and registered office; opening of a corporate bank account; tax registration; and annual accounting and tax services. Tetra Consultants will also recommend the type of business entity suitable for your company, based on your long-term goals and business model.

Contact us to find more information about how to register company in Japan and our dedicated and experienced team will revert within the next 24 hours.

Tetra Consultants

Tetra Consultants is the consulting firm that works as your advisor and trusted partner in your business expansion. We tell our clients what they need to know, instead of what they want to hear. Most importantly, we are known for being a one-stop solution for our valued clients. Contact us now at enquiry@tetraconsultants.com for a non-obligatory free consultation. Our team of experts will be in touch with you within the next 24 hours.

2 comments

  • yvan

    September 8, 2022 at 4:41 pm

    Dear Ms, Mr,
    We are a French company – la maison s.a.s. based in Paris specialized to buy stock lots for clothes, bankruptcy shops as for some individuals for high level brands .
    We have already some buyers in Japan and this is the reason to believe that we have to expand our activity and start to sell to the Japanese market.
    Our first step will be to start selling to the main Japanese marketplaces like mercari,rakuma, yahoo our products. In order to start selling on those marketplace we need some Japanese representative that can sell for us or have to set up a local Japanese company.
    We need to know what is the beast approach in order to start selling in Japan as what we understood that we will need some Japanese company ( or Japanese branch of our French company) , local Japanese bank account and probably some representative.
    The other possibility is to hire somebody that will sell for us or work for us but this will be more complicated solution as this people have to use his data and bank account and than to send us the money against contract and services .
    Could you give some information what is the best solution for our project with some detailed information about the price and services that you can provide in order to help us establish our activity in Japan.
    Thank you in advance for the professional way that you will treat our request!
    Best regards!
    Yvan

    Reply

    • Tetra Consultants

      September 9, 2022 at 5:43 pm

      Thank you for reaching out. One of our consultants has contacted you to discuss the above.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related articles and guides

Follow us on

Address

22 Sin Ming Lane #06-76 Midview City, Singapore 573969

©2010-2024 Tetra Global Consultants. All rights reserved.