Establishing Resident Office and Branch Office in Japan

　

We are pleased to offer the following for foreign companies .

　

Counseling service for companies planning to establish a base in Japan

Procedural service for establishing a resident office in Japan

Procedural service for establishing a branch office in Japan

Procedural service for applying Japanese working VISA

　

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Establishing a Resident Office

Sending a few members of the staff to Japan without trading activities and establishing a resident office in Japan are suitable for foreign companies to research the market and business possibilities as the first stage. Basically, activities such as business information gathering, market research, contacting the head office in the foreign country can be carried out freely. Report of establishing a resident office to the Japanese finance minister and the ministers concerned are not necessary with minor exceptions (e.g. banking industry).
　

VISA：

Those who hold passports of countries with reciprocal visa exemption arrangements with Japan are granted the short term stay visa (e.g. 15 days, 30 days, 90 days) upon arrival. The visa allows you to find an office room, purchase fixtures and make other preparations. If long term stay more than 90 days is necessary, you will have to apply a certificate of eligibility to obtain the relevant VISA.

Those who are not the above mentioned passport holders are required to have a short term stay (temporary visitor) visa in advance. Therefore, apply it at the Japanese overseas establishment. If the period of stay will be more than 90 days, a relevant visa is essential.

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Reciprocal visa exemption countries

Certificate of eligibility

Types and categories of visa

More about Japanese visa

Establishing a Branch Office

Establishing a branch office is suitable for changing a resident office to a branch office according to the result of market research and other researches to start trading or starting trading immediately because of already acquired good knowledge of the Japanese market. Establishing a branch office in Japan corresponds to the " internal direct foreign investment" provided by the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Control Law. Therefore, a report of establishing a branch office to the Japanese finance minister and the ministers concerned are required before or after the establishment. (Before or After depends on the business purpose.) Then reports and registrations to several Japanese authorities are required. (e.g. regional legal affairs bureau, tax office, city office etc.)

VISA：

Those who hold passports of countries with reciprocal visa exemption arrangements with Japan are granted the short term stay visa (e.g. 15 days, 30 days, 90 days) upon arrival and it allows you to find an office room, purchase fixtures and make other preparations. However, the above mentioned visa does not allow any working activities so that application for visa change or certificate of eligibility to the regional immigration bureau to obtain a proper visa is essential. Basically, applications to change a short term stay visa to a working one are not accepted and on a case by case basis. Please note that a visa (e.g. "Engineer", "Specialist in Humanities/ International Services" , "Intra-company Transferee") that allows working activity is essential to work in Japan.

Those who are not the above mentioned passport holders are required to have a short term stay (temporary visitor) visa in advance. Therefore, apply it at the Japanese overseas establishment. Like the above, a long term visa that allows working activity is essential.

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