What we do
- File the tax agent appointment with the tax office, the city or ward office, and the prefecture
- Receive your tax notices and send them to you as PDFs, with a short note in English on what each one is and when it is due
- Remind you before payment deadlines
- Pay the taxes from funds you send us, and send you the receipts
- File the termination of the appointment when you no longer need us
What we do not do
- Prepare or file tax returns
- Calculate your tax
- Give tax advice or tax planning
- Pay taxes out of our own funds
What is a tax agent (nozei kanrinin)?
A person or company in Japan that receives tax notices and pays Japanese taxes on behalf of someone who does not live in Japan.
If you have no address or residence in Japan but need to deal with Japanese taxes, Japanese law generally expects you to appoint a tax agent and notify the authorities (Article 117 of the Act on General Rules for National Taxes for national taxes, and the Local Tax Act for fixed asset tax and other local taxes). Income tax goes to the tax office, fixed asset tax to the city or ward where the property is (the Tokyo Metropolitan Tax Office in the 23 wards), and real estate acquisition tax to the prefecture.
In some countries "tax agent" means a licensed tax accountant. A nozei kanrinin is not: no licence is needed, and a friend, a relative or a company can act as one. The exact requirements and forms vary between offices and are worth confirming case by case.
Who is this service for?
Anyone who owns, or is about to buy, property in Japan and lives outside Japan, whatever your nationality. We take on properties anywhere in Japan.
The best time to appoint us is around the purchase. The real estate acquisition tax notice usually arrives a few months after the property is registered, and fixed asset tax notices follow every year.
Can you file my Japanese tax return?
No. In Japan, preparing and filing tax returns, calculating tax and giving tax advice are reserved for licensed tax accountants (zeirishi).
If you rent the property out and need to file a return, please file it yourself or hire a licensed tax accountant. We forward any return forms the tax office sends.
How are the taxes paid?
You send us the amount due in advance, and we pay it before the deadline. If you have a Japanese bank account, taxes that allow direct debit can be paid from it instead.
We never pay taxes out of our own funds. You remain the taxpayer, so late-payment charges caused by funds arriving late are yours. Funds you send us are used only to pay your taxes.
Can you also help me buy a home in Japan?
Yes, as a separate engagement from the tax agent service. We broker purchases in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama, in English or Japanese.