For your business - Small Business Japan (Page 2)

For your business

Setting up business banking in Japan: Foreign business owner's guide

Opening a corporate bank account is a must when doing business in Japan, as it can be used for funding and enhance your company's credibility. We have summarised the types and characteristics of financial institutions in Japan with a list of required documents and conditions.

For your business

Is being foreign the reason you can't open a corporate bank account in Japan?

Can you really be refused a corporate bank account just because you are a foreigner? To find out, we interviewed an immigration lawyer who has helped foreign business owners manage funding challenges, including opening corporate bank accounts in Japan for years.

This week in Small Business Japan

A new section, 'Industry outlook'

I've introduced a new section called 'Industry Outlook' to showcase business trends and ideas for those interested in starting a business in Japan.

Industry Outlook

What is the Kobutsusho license?: A must for reuse business in Japan

The 'Kobutsusho Kyoka' (古物商許可), or secondhand dealer license in English, is required in Japan for businesses dealing in reuse and recycle legally. This article will explain the license, including how to apply for it, and then discuss the current state of the reuse market in Japan.

For your business

New privacy for KK reps: Here’s how to (but at what cost?)

Since October 2024, Kabushiki Kaisha (KK) or stock corporations in Japan now have the option to remove its representative's home address from the company registry (tohon).

For your business

Small business under 5 years old? Secure advantage of public support

Municipalities offer the 'Business Support Plan for Startups', which helps small businesses under five years old meet a key requirement of startup subsidies, such as the one of Tokyo, on more favourable terms. Pre-establishment businesses can also benefit from reduced registration tax.

Subsidy application in Tokyo and business funding in Japan

For your business

Tokyo Startup Subsidy: What is it and how to apply?

The Startup Subsidy offered by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is a great funding opportunity for new and small businesses that are less than five years old. It is particularly recommended if you're an (aspiring) entrepreneur tackling social challenges or have a very good business model.

This week in Small Business Japan

How to enjoy dealing with #RedTapeJapan

Sample documents are ready for your company address change at the Homukyoku, the first initiative for #RedTapeJapan to help you cut through bureaucracy.

RedTapeJapan

Changing your company address yourself: A guide to the Homukyoku process

Red tape is a fact of doing business in Japan. Even native Japanese speakers often find it confusing, making it even more difficult for those whose first language is not Japanese. So, how does a company change its address?

This week in Small Business Japan

#JapanRedTape, a new tag

I'm currently writing a report for a subsidy of over ¥10 million that we won for a client. This report is required to receive the grant money.

Ryan , an Irish bar in Tokyo owner, offers advice to foreigners hoping to open a restaurant in Japan

This week in Small Business Japan

Wonderful restaurants inevitably become 'neverland diners', and that's okay

The Japanese book Neverland Diner: At That Restaurant I Can Never Go to Again (Edited by Kyoichi Tsuzuki, 2021, the original title in Japanese 'Neverland Diner – 二度と行けないあの店で') is a unique 'guidebook' to vanished restaurants and bars.

Editorial: The 'harsh reality' of running a restaurant

There is a 'harsh reality' of running a restaurant. These are high break-even points and long depreciation.