Start your business in Japan with a bilingual partner.
Startup support for founders in Japan
Planning, back office, local customs, and introductions to licensed professionals: one bilingual point of contact for starting a company in Japan.
- English / 日本語：Bilingual communication throughout
- One contact：We coordinate the professionals you need
- Launch & beyond：From planning to day-to-day operations
One bilingual point of contact
We organize your plan, funds, and back office, and bring in licensed professionals.
- Ask us anything：You（Just ask us, in English） → COANA TOKYO（One bilingual contact）
- Set up in order：Business plan・Funding preparation・Back office・Business customs・Licensed professionals
- Progress shared（One thing at a time, in English）
- → Ready to open（And support after you launch）
- Business plan：Plan, budget, and cash flow, the Japanese way
- Funding preparation：Loans and subsidies: information and numbers to discuss with experts
- Back office：Accounting software, invoicing, EN/JA tools
- Business customs：Invoices, seals, payments: how things work here
- Licensed professionals：Partner scriveners, tax and labor professionals
Your to-dos and numbers, organized
Your to-dos, budget, and cash flow, organized into a clear roadmap you can share with professionals.
Right professional, right time
Registration, visas, tax, and social insurance go to licensed experts. We coordinate.
Bilingual and hands-on
Accounting, cloud tools, and automation set up in English, from planning to life after launch.
We are not a law, tax, or immigration firm. Licensed partners we introduce handle those.
With support, starting up looks like this.
Flip the switch to compare before and after.
- Who does what：Before Not sure who handles incorporation, visas, and taxes／After We map the steps and introduce the right licensed experts
- Language：Before Banks and offices work mostly in Japanese／After One bilingual point of contact for the whole process
- Business plan：Before Unsure what Japanese lenders expect in a plan／After Plan and projections organized so you can discuss them with lenders and professionals
- Business customs：Before Invoices, hanko, and payment terms feel unfamiliar／After Invoicing and bookkeeping set up, with customs explained
What we do
Choose only what you need. Everything is available in English and Japanese.
Business plan support
Your idea, customers, revenue, and cash flow, shaped for Japanese banks.
Funding preparation
Numbers and documents for startup loans, local programs, and subsidies.
Accounting and back-office setup
Cloud accounting, bank links, and invoice and expense rules for Japan.
Japanese business customs
Payment terms, seals, and etiquette explained, to avoid common mistakes.
Professional introductions
Scriveners, tax accountants, labor and social security attorneys, and lawyers, kept aligned.
Ready to receive inquiries
Landing page, contact form, and LINE set up, with automatic notifications so no inquiry is missed.
Examples of what you can ask us
Planning & funding
- Business plan structuring support (we do not ghost-write)
- Budget and cash-flow projections
- Preparation for startup-loan consultations
- Subsidy and grant information
Setup & procedures
- Roadmap for incorporation and registrations
- Sole proprietor vs. company: practical differences (tax impact confirmed with a tax accountant)
- Checklist of required filings and permits
- Introductions to licensed professionals
Back office
- Accounting software setup
- Invoicing, expense, and receipt rules
- Business tools in English/Japanese
- Bookkeeping after launch (optional)
Customs & tools
- Japanese business customs briefing
- Landing page, contact form, and LINE
- Automatic inquiry notifications
- Chat, e-mail, and other basic tools
Under Japanese law, company registration, visa and permit applications, tax filing and advice, social-insurance procedures, and legal advice may only be performed by licensed professionals. COANA TOKYO does not perform these services; we introduce you to licensed partners.
Example plans
Plan & Prepare（Before launch）
From ¥60,000 (one-time)
Turn your idea into a plan, projections, and a clear roadmap.
- Business plan support
- Budget and cash flow
- Funding preparation
- Roadmap and introductions
Best for：Founders at the planning stage
Launch Package（Recommended）
From ¥250,000 (one-time)
Plan & Prepare, plus a back office that runs from day one.
- Everything in Plan & Prepare
- Incorporation coordination
- Accounting, tools, and rules
- 3 months of post-launch support
Best for：Founders who want to focus on the business
Ongoing Support（After launch）
From ¥20,000 / month
Regular check-ins on your bookkeeping and tools. Hands-on work is quoted per service.
- Advice on bookkeeping and tools
- Advice on automation and new tools
- Coordination with professionals
- Monthly check-ins
Best for：Companies that have just launched
All prices are estimates, excluding tax. We send a formal quote after a free consultation.
Tools we work with：freee、Money Forward Cloud、Google Workspace、Chatwork / Slack、Invoicing tools、Notion
Most Japanese cloud accounting tools have limited English. We help you choose and use them.
Step by step
- Free consultation Tell us your plans and where you are stuck. Online, in English.
- Roadmap and quote What happens in which order, who does what, and what it costs.
- Plan and preparation Business plan, projections, funding prep, and introductions.
- Setup and launch Incorporation coordinated; accounting and tools set up.
- Ongoing support Bookkeeping, monthly numbers, tools, and answers in English.
We work around your launch date. Early-stage talks are welcome.
FAQ
- How much does it cost?
- As a guide: Plan & Prepare from ¥60,000, the Launch Package from ¥250,000, and ongoing support from ¥20,000 per month (excluding tax). After a free consultation, we send a formal quote based on your scope.
- Can you handle my visa or company registration?
- No. Visa and permit applications are performed by licensed administrative scriveners, and company registration by judicial scriveners. We introduce trusted partners and coordinate with them.
- Do you file taxes or handle social insurance?
- No. Tax filing and advice are reserved for licensed tax accountants, and social-insurance filings for labor and social security attorneys. We set up bookkeeping and introduce the right professional.
- Is all communication in English?
- Yes. We communicate in English, help you understand Japanese documents and tools, and join meetings with banks and professionals as bilingual support (not as your legal representative).
- Can you help before I arrive in Japan?
- Yes. Planning, projections, and the roadmap can all be done online before you arrive. We also prepare the materials you will need once you are here.