Valsen Corporate

Japan Branch Office

  • A Japanese branch-office is much the same legal entity as any other branch-office you may already have in your domestic market or overseas. A branch office is simply an additional location from which your employees do business and even though they are in separate legal jurisdictions, a Japanese branch office is not a separate legal entity from its foreign parent company. All liabilities (whether debt, employee or otherwise) of a branch-office are ultimately liabilities of its parent and similarly when a branch-office sells a product or service to a customer (or distributor) it does so simply on behalf of the parent. Other than geographic location your Japanese branch-office is no different than your Dallas branch, your Boston branch or (if you are a German company) your Munich branch.

    Features of Japan Branch Office

    Japan Branch Office

    Corporate Details

    General
    • Type of Entity

     Branch Office
    • Registered Office in Japan

    Yes
    • Shelf company availability

    No
    • Our time to establish a new company

    2 Months
    • Corporate Taxation

    Yes
    • Access to Double Taxation Treaties

    Yes

    Share capital or equivalent
    • Standard currency

    USD
    • Permitted currencies

    EUR, USD, GBP, JPY
    • Minimum paid up

    None

    No
    • No-par-value shares allowed

    No

    Directors
    • Minimum number

    One
    • Local required

    No
    • Publicly accessible records

    Yes
    • Location of meetings

    Anywhere
    • Corporate directorship allowed

    Yes

    Shareholders
    • Minimum number

    Parent Company
    • Publicly accessible records

    Yes
    • Corporate shareholders allowed

    Yes
    • Location of meetings

    Anywhere

    Company Secretary
    • Required

    No
    • Local or qualified

    No

    Accounts
    • Requirements to prepare

    Yes
    • Audit requirements

    No
    • Requirements to file accounts

    Yes
    • Publicly accessible accounts

    Yes

    Other
    • Requirement to file annual return

    Yes
    • Migration of domicile permitted

    Yes
    Advantages of a Japan Branch Office
    1. Launching a branch office is less expensive, with simpler procedures and requirements. Registering a branch office is often much faster than registering a subsidiary, which can be advantageous if you want to commence operations as soon as possible.
    2. It can also do all the essential things a subsidiary can do, which includes: renting an office, entering business and legal contracts, hiring employees, and sending profits back to the home country.
    3. A branch office’s loss can be off set from the headquarters’ income.
    4. Common expenses accrued in headquarters can be allocated to a branch office as long as the charges are at arm’s length.
    5. Remittance of profit from a branch office to headquarters is not subject to Japanese withholding income tax.
    The Valsen Advantage
    1. Speedy, Efficient and consistent Services.
    2. Relentless effort to obtain bank accounts.
    3. Expert advice on structuring options.
    4. Dedicated ongoing compliance support.