When you consider setting up your new business in Japan, you will need to make sure whether or not your business requires a license in Japan. In case you need a license, you must not engage in any business activities without it. In addition, you will also need to be aware that there are some restrictions to get such license.
For example, if you plan to open a restaurant in Tokyo, firstly you will need to have someone (or yourself) who resides in Japan and understands Japanese take a 6-hours course to become a food hygiene manager on-site. You will then apply for a business license to a local Health Center. The business license will be issued only after a food sanitation inspector performs on-site inspections of the facility to confirm its regulatory conformity.
In this chapter, we listed up some of the major businesses that require a license as below. Please note that processes, costs or procedures may be varied depending on regions/local offices. Make sure to give us a call, send us an email or consult us your business plan in Japan to get more information.
List of Business Requires License
| Business | Contact | Jurisdiction | |
| Accommodation | Hotel, Inn | Health Center |
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare |
| Employment Agency | Worker-dispatch business | Labor Office |
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare |
| Headhunting, Recruitment | |||
| Food and Beverages | Restaurant, Processing, Manufacturing, Shop, Wholesale |
Health Center |
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare |
| Late-night alcohol serving | Police Station |
Public Safety Commission | |
| Liquor | Production, Shop, Wholesale, Bar | Tax Office | National Tax Agency |
| Pharmaceuticals | Pharmacy, Wholesale | Health Center | Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare |
| Secondhand/ Used/Recycle |
Second-hand dealer, Shop, Online-store | Police Station | Public Safety Commission |
| Transportation | Motor-truck transportation | Transport Office | Minister of Land, Infrastructure,Transport and Tourism |
| Passenger-vehicle transportation | |||
| Travel | Travel agency | Transport Office |
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism |
| Land operator | Prefectual Office |
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Please also cheek out our articles, “Securing License for Second-hand Dealership”(Reference 1), “Licenses to Manufacture and Sell Alcoholic Beverages”(Reference 2), “Land operators for travel need to be registered with regional government offices from the year 2018” (Reference 3), or FAQ “Q10. Are there any industries that foreigners are limited from doing?”(Reference 4) on our website for more details.
See also:
Things you will need to consider before setting up a company
Things you will need to consider before setting up a company Vol.2
