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.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What We Talked About in This Episode</h2>
Here are some of the main topics we covered:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>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.</li>
<li>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.</li>
<li>Legal and financial help – Do you need a lawyer or tax accountant?
How we found help with paperwork, taxes, and navigating the legal landscape.</li>
<li>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.</li>
<li>Hanko culture and paperwork
What it was like getting our hankos (personal/company seals) made and how they’re used for official documents.</li>
<li>Registering your company name
Tips and gotchas when reserving a name, and how we made sure ours passed.</li>
<li>Our overall experience – Was it easy or hard?
We compare notes on how bureaucratic (or not) the process was, and how long it took.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f3a7.png" alt="🎧" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Listen to the Episode</h2>
<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f449.png" alt="👉" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> <a href="https://podcast.learnjapanesepod.com/podcasts/podcast_29_funfriday.mp3">Click here to listen now </a>or find it on your favorite podcast platform.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Key Takeaways</h3>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Preparation is key – Research and planning go a long way in making the process smoother.</li>
<li>Get help – Hiring a bilingual tax accountant or lawyer can save you time and stress.</li>
<li>Japan’s system is unique – Cultural and legal differences (like using hankos) can be surprising, but manageable with guidance.</li>
<li>It’s possible! – Setting up a company in Japan as a foreigner is very doable with the right support and mindset.</li>
</ul>
For more podcasts on learning the Japanese language and discovering more about the culture of Japan, <a href="https://learnjapanesepod.com">click here!</a>

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