The law changed in 2015 — a resident representative director is no longer legally required. What didn't change is that Japanese banks still expect one in practice, which makes this the clearest gap in this entire directory between what the statute says and what actually gets your account approved.
Since the 2015 reform, a non-resident can legally establish and own 100% of a Kabushiki Kaisha or Godo Kaisha without holding a visa or living in Japan — the registered address, not the founder's residency, satisfies the legal formation requirement.
A properly registered Japanese company signals genuine market commitment to Japanese clients, distributors, and partners in a market where that signal carries particular weight.
Registering a company doesn't require a visa, but actually working and drawing income from it inside Japan does — typically a Business Manager Visa — which has its own, stricter physical-office requirement covered below.
Both the KK and the GK can be formed with as little as 1 JPY in capital, though most founders use at least 1 million JPY to project credibility to banks and partners.
Three moving pieces, and the gap between two of them is the whole story here.
Every company in Japan must declare a registered office address as part of the "absolute matters" in its Articles of Incorporation (teikan), filed with the Legal Affairs Bureau. This can be a leased physical office, a shared or virtual office, or even an accountant's or lawyer's address with consent — the address is where tax notices, summons, and audits get sent, so it functions as the company's official point of contact regardless of format.
| What the law requires (since 2015) | What banks and landlords still expect |
|---|---|
| No representative director needs to be a Japanese resident — all directors can legally reside overseas | Major Japanese banks and most landlords still want a resident representative before opening accounts or signing leases |
| Branch offices of foreign companies are the exception — they still require a Japan-resident representative under current regulations | Corporate bank account opening is unlikely for non-residents, since most banks require in-person identification |
This is a genuine law-versus-practice gap: incorporation itself no longer legally requires a resident director for a KK or GK, but the practical path to a functioning company — a bank account, a signed office lease — still runs through having one, temporarily or permanently.
Personal seals (hanko or inkan) remain the traditional method for authorising official documents in Japan. A resident representative typically needs to register their personal hanko with their local Ward Office — a step with no real equivalent anywhere else in this directory, and one that adds friction for founders unfamiliar with the system.
If a founder plans to apply for a Business Manager Visa to personally operate the company from inside Japan, a genuine physical office lease with a commercial-purpose clause is required — a virtual address will not qualify for this specific purpose, even though it's entirely acceptable for company registration itself.
Tokyo's dominance reflects banking relationships and provider concentration more than any legal distinction between cities.
The default choice for the overwhelming majority of foreign-founded companies, with the deepest pool of providers experienced in supporting non-resident registration.
A lower-cost alternative that still carries credibility with Japanese banks and clients, favoured by businesses with a Kansai-region focus.
We only list a provider once we have a confirmed partnership — no placeholder links.
We haven't finalized a partnership with a provider serving Japan yet, so rather than point you to a dead link, we're leaving this section empty until one is confirmed. Providers with live, working links are currently on our United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, and Australia guides.
Wherever you end up incorporating, you'll eventually need a bank account — Dukascopy Bank accepts international clients for a multi-currency account without requiring you to be physically present in Switzerland.
Dukascopy Bank SA is regulated by FINMA (the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority), and deposits are protected under Swiss depositor protection up to CHF 100,000. This is a banking product, not a virtual address service — review account fees, minimums, and suitability for your situation independently before opening an account. vaddress.net may earn a referral commission if you sign up through this link.
No, not since the 2015 reform — all directors of a KK or GK can legally reside overseas. In practice, though, most banks and landlords still expect a resident representative before opening an account or signing a lease.
Yes, for the registration itself — a virtual office is accepted for a GK and some KK structures. It will not, however, qualify for a Business Manager Visa application, which requires a genuine physical office lease.
Yes — unlike a standalone KK or GK, a branch office of a foreign company still requires at least one representative who is a resident of Japan under current regulations.
A hanko is a personal seal used to authorise official documents in Japan. A resident representative typically needs to register theirs with their local Ward Office — it remains a practical necessity even though foreign founders unfamiliar with the system often haven't budgeted time for it.
Unlikely — most Japanese banks require in-person identification, which is one of the main practical reasons founders still arrange a resident representative even though the law no longer requires one.