Set up a Japanese company without renting an office or relocating staff. We register a real KK (Kabushiki Kaisha) or GK (Godo Kaisha) for you, while iAP handles the registered address, local contact channel, accounting, tax filing, payroll, and social insurance on an ongoing basis.
What “Virtual KK / GK” means
Your company is genuinely incorporated and listed in the Japanese commercial register, but there is no physical office and no resident staff in Japan. The administrative footprint that a Japanese company normally needs is provided by iAP, so you can operate the entity from overseas while staying fully compliant.
Since 2015, there is no longer a requirement for a Japan-resident representative director, so non-residents can complete the incorporation itself. In practice, however, opening a corporate bank account still effectively requires a local point of contact and a real presence in Japan — and that is exactly where iAP serves as your local face.
What iAP handles for you
iAP takes on the full back office of your Japanese entity. This includes providing a registered address for the company, acting as your domestic contact channel, and managing monthly bookkeeping, tax returns, payroll, and social insurance enrollment and administration.
Because these functions continue every month, your relationship with iAP is built around an ongoing service contract rather than a one-time setup — giving your company a stable, continuous compliance foundation in Japan.
A clear division of roles with licensed professionals
Japanese law reserves certain filings for specific licensed professionals. Incorporation registration is handled by a judicial scrivener (shiho-shoshi), and permit and license applications are handled by an administrative scrivener (gyosei-shoshi). iAP focuses on coordination and the back office, and routes the registration itself to partner professionals.
Registered address in Kojimachi
We can provide a registered address for your company at our Kojimachi location. To keep the address sound from a banking and compliance standpoint, we manage the number of companies registered at a single address and apply clear operating rules, so your entity is never placed at reputational or screening risk.
Talk to iAP
If you are considering a Japanese entity but want to avoid the cost and commitment of a physical office and local staff, the Virtual KK / GK model lets you incorporate cleanly and run the company with iAP as your back office. Contact us to discuss your situation and the right structure for your business.
Beyond the basics: full operational coverage
The Virtual KK / GK model is not limited to incorporation, bookkeeping, and tax. iAP can run the operational backbone of your Japanese entity across finance, IT, legal, and HR — so a non-resident owner can operate a fully functioning company in Japan without building an internal team on the ground.
Finance operations
- Monthly bookkeeping, closing, and management reporting
- Corporate, consumption, and withholding tax filing through partner tax accountants
- Accounts payable and receivable, invoicing, and expense processing
- Bank account coordination and domestic payment handling
- Annual financial statements and audit support
IT operations
- Business email, domain, and Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace setup
- Cloud accounting, payroll, and document-management tooling
- Account provisioning, access management, and basic security policy
- Website and corporate communication infrastructure
- Day-to-day IT support coordination for the entity
Legal operations
- Coordination of incorporation and registration with partner judicial scriveners
- Permit and license applications via partner administrative scriveners
- Contract templates, review coordination, and corporate housekeeping
- Statutory filings, board and shareholder documentation support
- Visa and immigration coordination through partner law firms
HR operations
- Payroll calculation, payslips, and year-end adjustment
- Social insurance and labor insurance enrollment and administration
- Employment contracts, work rules, and onboarding support
- Attendance, leave, and benefits administration
- Coordination with partner labor and social security attorneys (sharoshi)
Pricing
Transparent, packaged pricing for setting up and running your Japanese entity. Incorporation is a one-time setup fee; the back office is a continuing monthly retainer. Figures below are indicative starting points and are confirmed in a quote based on your headcount, transaction volume, and scope.
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