Corporate · Formation · Governance
A company built on the right foundation carries fewer complications later
Holt Blend Park supports founders and overseas companies entering the Japanese market with clear guidance on structure, registration, and the obligations that follow.
Back to HomeWhat this covers
What Corporate Formation and Governance delivers
Setting up a company in Japan is a procedural undertaking. Done carefully, it sets the conditions for how decisions are made, how the company is owned, and what obligations the directors carry going forward.
This service covers the full formation sequence — entity type selection, articles of incorporation, shareholder arrangements where more than one party is involved, and the ongoing meeting and record-keeping obligations that the company will need to meet. Four to six weeks from instruction to registration.
Clarity on structure
Each choice explained with its practical consequences, so you make decisions with a clear view of what they mean.
Governance in place
A calendar of recurring obligations and template minutes so compliance is manageable from the start.
Overseas companies welcome
Particular attention given to the specific considerations for foreign companies establishing a domestic presence in Japan.
The situation
The decisions made at formation are difficult to undo later
Most founders approach company formation as a procedural hurdle to clear quickly. The entity type is chosen without a full picture of what each option actually requires. The articles are drafted to a standard form. The shareholder arrangement, if there is one, is left informal because there are more pressing things to attend to.
These choices accumulate. What looks like a minor decision about share classes in the first month can become a significant obstacle when a new investor appears two years later. An informal arrangement between founders works until it does not.
For overseas companies, there are additional layers. The domestic registration process, the tax registration sequence, the question of who holds what authority locally — each has specific requirements that are not always obvious from the outside.
The approach
How this engagement works
The engagement begins with a review of your situation — what you are building, who is involved, and what you are expecting the company to do in its first few years. From that, the appropriate entity type is identified and the alternatives explained with their practical differences, not just the legal definitions.
The articles of incorporation are prepared with your particular situation in mind. Where more than one founder or investor is involved, the shareholder agreement is drafted to cover the arrangements you have actually made, rather than a standard template that may not reflect how you have agreed to work together.
The registration sequence is then managed through to completion. At the close, you receive a governance calendar — the meetings to hold, the filings to make, the records to maintain — and template minutes for ordinary resolutions, so the ongoing obligations are clear and manageable from the first month.
Working together
What the process looks like from your side
Initial exchange — Week 1
You send a description of your situation: what the company will do, who is involved, and any particular requirements you are aware of. Within two working days you receive a response confirming whether this falls within the scope of the service and what the next step is.
Review meeting — Week 1–2
A meeting in person or by video call to go through your situation in full. You leave with a written summary of the entity options, the practical differences between them, and the approach recommended for your particular circumstances.
Drafting and review — Weeks 2–4
Articles of incorporation and, where applicable, a shareholder agreement are prepared. Each draft is provided with a plain explanation of what the provisions mean and an opportunity to raise questions before anything is finalised.
Registration and handover — Weeks 4–6
The registration is filed and completed. You receive the governance calendar and template minutes, along with a written summary of the obligations that are now in place and the dates by which they need to be met in the first year.
Investment
Transparent fee structure
Corporate Formation and Governance
¥40,000 JPY
Four to six weeks from instruction to registration
Included
Written comparison of entity types with practical consequences of each choice
Articles of incorporation drafted to your specific situation
Shareholder agreement where more than one party is involved
Registration filing managed through to completion
Governance calendar of recurring obligations for the first year and beyond
Template minutes for ordinary resolutions
Written handover summary of all obligations now in effect
The fee stated above covers the full scope described. If your situation involves additional complexity — multiple entity types under consideration, a more involved shareholder structure, or specific requirements from an overseas parent company — this is identified at the review meeting before any instruction is accepted, and any variation discussed openly at that point.
Method and timeline
How progress is tracked and what to expect
Formation in Japan follows a defined procedural sequence. The timeline of four to six weeks is based on that sequence as it actually runs, not a shortened version offered for reassurance. Each stage has a specific action and a realistic duration beside it.
Days 1–5
Initial review and documentation
Review meeting held, entity choice confirmed, instruction agreement issued, document checklist provided.
Days 6–18
Drafting
Articles prepared and reviewed. Shareholder agreement drafted where applicable. Client review period built in.
Days 19–28
Registration filing
Documents filed with the Legal Affairs Bureau. Registration period runs according to the bureau's processing schedule, typically one to two weeks.
Days 29–42
Completion and handover
Registration confirmed. Governance calendar and template documents provided. Written summary of all ongoing obligations issued.
What to prepare
Document checklist for first contact
Before or at the first meeting, the following information is useful to have available. Nothing needs to be formally prepared in advance — a brief written summary is sufficient to begin.
A short description of what the company will do and the market it will operate in
Names and nationalities of all founders, directors, or shareholders involved
Any existing agreements between founders, even informal ones
For overseas companies: a copy or description of the parent company's structure and registration
Any particular requirements about capital, share classes, or voting arrangements already decided
Identification documents for all parties who will appear in the registration
Our commitment
What you can hold us to
The fee is fixed before instruction
The fee of ¥40,000 JPY is stated in full before any instruction agreement is signed. If additional scope is identified at the review meeting, it is discussed openly and agreed in writing before work proceeds.
Everything confirmed in writing
All advice, all agreed documents, and all outstanding obligations are confirmed to you in writing. You will not need to reconstruct from memory what was decided at a meeting.
No obligation in making contact
The initial exchange and review meeting carry no commitment. If after that meeting you decide the service is not what you need, you are under no obligation to proceed.
Timelines stated honestly
The four to six week estimate reflects the actual sequence. If something in your situation suggests a different timeframe, that is stated at the review meeting before instruction is accepted.
How to start
A straightforward path forward
There are no forms to complete before making contact. The first step is a brief note describing your situation.
Write to us
Use the contact form on the main page or email info@domain.com with a short description of what you are building and who is involved. Two to three sentences is sufficient to start.
Receive a response within two working days
The response will confirm whether this falls within the scope of the service. If it does, a time for the review meeting will be proposed. If it does not, you will be told plainly and, where possible, pointed toward a more appropriate resource.
Attend the review meeting
The review meeting is held in person in Osaka or by video call. There is no obligation to proceed after this meeting. If you decide to instruct, the written agreement is issued at that point and work begins according to the timeline agreed.
Other services
Further areas Holt Blend Park handles
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Employment Documentation Review
Preparation and review of employment contracts, work rules and internal policies. Three to four weeks. ¥36,000 JPY.
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Inheritance and Estate Arrangement
Assistance in preparing a will, arranging an estate in advance, or administering a division after a death. ¥38,000 JPY.
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