Fun Friday 29: Setting up a business in Japan

In this podcast, Alex and Andy talk about their experience setting up a company in Japan, why they did it and how!

In this episode of Learn Japanese Pod, Andy and I dive into the world of starting a small business in Japan. We share our personal journeys of setting up our own company , the lessons we learned, and the surprises we encountered along the way.

If you’re a foreigner living in Japan—or planning to move here—and you’ve ever thought about launching your own business, this episode is packed with useful insights and real talk.

What We Talked About in This Episode

Here are some of the main topics we covered:

• Why we decided to set up a company in Japan
  Our motivations, goals, and what pushed us to take the leap from freelance to incorporating.
• Types of companies you can register in Japan
  We break down common structures like the Godo Kaisha (GK) and Kabushiki Kaisha (KK), and why we chose what we did.
• Legal and financial help – Do you need a lawyer or tax accountant?
  How we found help with paperwork, taxes, and navigating the legal landscape.
• The process of registering a company in Japan
  From choosing a company name to getting all the documents stamped, we share what was smooth—and what wasn’t.
• Hanko culture and paperwork
  What it was like getting our hankos (personal/company seals) made and how they’re used for official documents.
• Registering your company name
  Tips and gotchas when reserving a name, and how we made sure ours passed.
• Our overall experience – Was it easy or hard?
  We compare notes on how bureaucratic (or not) the process was, and how long it took.

Listen to the Episode

Click here to listen now or find it on your favorite podcast platform.

Key Takeaways

• Preparation is key – Research and planning go a long way in making the process smoother.
• Get help – Hiring a bilingual tax accountant or lawyer can save you time and stress.
• Japan’s system is unique – Cultural and legal differences (like using hankos) can be surprising, but manageable with guidance.
• It’s possible! – Setting up a company in Japan as a foreigner is very doable with the right support and mindset.

For more podcasts on learning the Japanese language and discovering more about the culture of Japan, click here!