What to ask before paying for business setup consultation in Japan
Business setup consultants charge widely varying fees for company registration and visa support. Questions that reveal scope, guarantees, and real experience.
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Business setup consulting in Japan spans a huge range of price and quality, and the biggest risk is not overpaying - it is paying for the wrong scope, or paying someone unlicensed for a task that requires a specific license. Before paying anything, get a written, itemized quote, confirm which licensed professional (judicial scrivener, tax accountant, immigration lawyer) handles which specific part, and treat any guaranteed approval claim as a serious warning sign rather than a selling point.
The five questions to ask before paying
1. "Can you itemize exactly what is included in this fee?" - vague bundled pricing hides scope gaps that surface later as additional charges 2. "What is your specific experience with cases like mine?" - ask for concrete situations, not general years-in-business claims 3. "Which licensed professional handles which part?" - registration filing, tax matters, and visa applications each legally require a specific license; know who is actually doing what 4. "What happens if my application is rejected?" - do you pay again for a resubmission, is there a partial refund, or is this covered? Get the answer in writing 5. "What is the payment schedule?" - full payment upfront with no milestones is a higher-risk structure than payment tied to project stages
Who is legally licensed to do what
| Task | Licensed professional |
|---|---|
| Company registration filing | Judicial scrivener (司法書士, shiho shoshi) |
| Tax filing and tax advice | Tax accountant (税理士, zeirishi) |
| Visa/immigration application representation | Administrative scrivener (行政書士, gyoseishoshi) or immigration lawyer |
| General business strategy consulting | No specific license required, but verify real relevant experience |
A general "business setup consultant" or agency can coordinate across these roles, sometimes efficiently, but should not personally be filing your company registration, representing you to the tax office, or handling your visa application unless they hold the relevant license themselves.
The clearest warning sign: guaranteed approval
No legitimate provider can guarantee your visa application or any government approval will succeed, since the decision rests with the relevant authority based on your specific case, not the consultant's confidence. If you are researching a Business Manager visa specifically, this exact warning sign is covered in more depth in our Business Manager visa basics guide - the pattern is the same across other business licensing and registration services.
Comparing quotes properly
Get quotes from at least two providers, in writing, itemized by task. A quote that looks cheaper at first glance can turn out to exclude tax filing, visa support, or ongoing advisory work that a more expensive quote already includes - the only way to compare fairly is item by item, not headline totals.
Connecting this to your actual setup
Once you have a trustworthy path forward, the practical next steps - choosing a tax accountant, finalizing company incorporation, and reviewing any business contracts with clients or vendors - build on the same principle: get things in writing, verify licenses and experience, and be specifically skeptical of guarantees.
This is general information, not legal or business advice. Verify any professional's license and standing independently, and confirm all terms in writing before paying for business setup services.
Before you apply
- ✓Get a written
- ✓itemized quote covering every service before paying anything
- ✓Ask for verifiable experience with cases similar to yours
- ✓not general claims
- ✓Confirm exactly which licensed professional will handle which part of the process
- ✓Treat any guaranteed approval claim as a serious warning sign
- ✓Ask what happens if your application is rejected - do you pay again
FAQ
How much should business setup consultation cost in Japan?
There is no single standard price - costs range widely depending on whether you need only document preparation, full company registration, visa application support, or ongoing advisory services. This wide range is exactly why comparing itemized quotes from at least two providers matters more than judging a single quoted number in isolation.
Is it normal for consultants to require full payment upfront?
Practices vary, but requiring 100 percent payment upfront before any work begins, with no milestone structure, is less common among established providers and worth questioning. Ask about payment structure tied to project milestones as a more standard and lower-risk arrangement.
What licenses should a legitimate business consultant have?
Depending on the service, you may be dealing with a judicial scrivener (shiho shoshi) for registration filings, a tax accountant (zeirishi) for tax matters, or an immigration lawyer (gyoseishoshi or bengoshi) for visa applications - each requires a specific license for the specific task. A general "consultant" with no licensed credential can still be useful for coordination, but should not be the one actually filing your registration or representing you in tax or immigration matters.
What happens if my visa or registration application is rejected after paying a consultant?
This depends entirely on the specific agreement you sign - ask explicitly before paying whether a rejection means you pay again for a resubmission, get a partial refund, or are covered under the original fee. Get this answer in writing, since it varies significantly between providers.
How do I verify a consultant's experience is real?
Ask for the types of cases they have handled (not necessarily client names, which may be confidential) and how those situations compare to yours specifically. Vague claims of general experience without specifics, or an inability to explain how your case differs from a routine one, are reasons to ask more questions or look elsewhere.
Finished reading?
Take the next step while it is fresh
You now know what to check. Compare the current conditions while they are fresh in your mind, and keep a record of what you confirm.
Compare licensed tax accountants as an alternative pathReferences
- Small and Medium Enterprise Agency - Small and Medium Enterprise Agency