Japan - Tax Guide for Freelance Contractors
Welcome to our guide to Japanese Taxation. You will find a wealth of information which will be useful if you plan to work in, or place consultants in, Japan.
Our tax guides give a general overview of the actual taxation rates and rules at the time of writing. There are of course many ways to legally reduce tax or social security burdens in Japan. Please contact us for more information or an actual breakdown of your situation, and to find out more about our range of payroll and contact management services in Japan.
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Japanese Income Tax
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Japanese Social Security
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Japanese Visas and Work Permits
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Umbrella and Contract Management Services in Japan
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Download our Japanese Taxation Factsheet
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Contact our Japanese Tax Specialists
All foreign nationals who wish to work, study or live in Japan should first obtain a Certificate of Eligibility which is issued by the Ministry of Justice in Japan.
To obtain a work permit:
An individual cannot make the application him-/herself, but must ask a sponsor in Japan (eg. a potential employer) to contact the local immigration office and make an application on his/her behalf. A working visa can be obtained for a number of different professional profiles.
In almost all cases, a contract with a public or private organisation in Japan is required in order to obtain a working visa, and in the case of an intra-company transfer, an individual must have worked for at least a year for his/her non-Japanese employer before being permitted to transfer to a Japanese branch office and, as is normally the case with working visa/permit applications, the individual needs to be highly qualified (university degree and several years’ experience in a specialised sector) and the reasons for sending him/her to Japan clearly explained and justified.