Nikolai Timofejev
15 years in FinTech and payments. Maps your business model to the right licence scope and leads the file all the way to the Bureau's registration, including banking and payment rails.
Get an investment license in Japan.
Asia's deepest domestic capital pool: registration under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act - investment management at ¥50 million capital with a ¥10 million qualified-investor route, investment advisory at a ¥5 million deposit with no capital minimum, examined by the FSA through the Local Finance Bureau with compliance independence at the centre of the file.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Japan in brief
The measured door into Japanese money.
Japan registers investment business under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, with the FSA examining through the competent Local Finance Bureau. The ladder is graduated: investment advisory and agency requires no minimum capital - a ¥5 million security deposit stands behind the obligations instead; investment management for qualified investors registers at ¥10 million; full investment management - discretionary mandates and fund vehicles for the open market - at ¥50 million, with Type II registration at ¥10 million where fund interests are distributed alongside. The examination is personnel-first: officers with provable expertise, compliance staff independent of the investment division, and books, risk and complaint machinery the Bureau walks through line by line.
The commercial case is the depth of the pool: Japanese households and institutions hold the largest domestic financial asset base in Asia, the government's asset-income agenda is pushing savings toward managed products, and foreign managers are courted through dedicated market-entry channels - the FSA runs English-language support for exactly this file. Corporate tax lands near 30% effective with a 23.2% national core, consumption tax exempts financial services, and losses carry forward ten years. For discretionary managers, advisory houses testing the market at deposit-only cost and fund groups building a Tokyo book, the graduated ladder lets the licence match the ambition. We build the file - entity, bench, compliance architecture and Bureau dialogue - end to end.
Asia's deepest domestic pool: FIEA registration - investment management ¥50M (QI route ¥10M), advisory at a ¥5M deposit with no capital minimum, Type II ¥10M for fund distribution. Personnel-first examination through the Local Finance Bureau.
≈30% effective tax, finance exempt from consumption tax, 10-year loss carry-forward, and FSA English-language entry support. Built end to end from Tokyo.
The registration ladder
Advisory at a deposit - management at ¥50 million.
FIEA grades the entry: advisory with no capital minimum, qualified-investor management at ¥10 million, full management at ¥50 million. The ambition sets the rung. We fix it first.
Management at ¥50M - or the deposit-only advisory entry.
01 - INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
The manager's registration
Discretionary mandates and fund management for the open market - ¥50 million capital, personnel with investment expertise, independent compliance; the qualified-investor route at ¥10 million where the clientele allows.
Discretionary mandates and fund management for the open market - ¥50 million capital, personnel with investment expertise, independent compliance; the qualified-investor route at ¥10 million where the clientele allows.
- ✓Discretionary mandates and funds
- ✓¥50,000,000 capital
- ✓QI route - ¥10,000,000
- ✓Independent compliance function
- ✓Expert officers, examined individually
- ✓Type II stacked for fund distribution
02 - INVESTMENT ADVISORY
The advisory entry
Paid investment advice under an advisory contract - no capital minimum, a ¥5 million deposit standing behind the obligations; the measured first step into Japanese clients that upgrades to management later.
Paid advice under advisory contracts - no capital, ¥5M deposit, the lightest compliant footprint; upgrade to management on a proven book.
- ✓Advisory and agency business
- ✓No minimum capital
- ✓¥5,000,000 security deposit
- ✓Lightest compliance footprint
- ✓Market test at controlled cost
- ✓Upgrade path to management
Figures per the FSA's market-entry framework as of 2026. Registration runs through the competent Local Finance Bureau with FSA English-language support available.
Why Japan
Six reasons managers choose Tokyo.
✓
Asia's deepest pool
The largest domestic financial asset base in the region. Households and institutions with money that stays home and needs managing.Money that stays home.
✓
A graduated ladder
Deposit-only advisory, ¥10 million QI management, ¥50 million full management. The licence scales with the ambition.Deposit → ¥10M → ¥50M.
✓
Policy at your back
The asset-income agenda pushes savings toward managed products. The market grows by government design.Savings pushed to managers.
✓
English-language entry
The FSA courts foreign managers with dedicated market-entry support. The file can run in English where it matters.FSA support desk.
✓
Institutional credibility
FIEA registration reads as quality across Asia. The stamp that opens Japanese institutional doors.FIEA opens doors.
✓
Predictable machinery
Standard processing measured in weeks once the file is complete. Preparation, not the regulator, sets the timeline.Prep sets the clock.
How it compares
How Japan differs from other routes.
Side by side: a personnel-first examination into a market others cannot reach from outside.
Japan vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Japan | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regime | FIEA registration | Licence regimes |
| Entry | ¥5M deposit → ¥50M | Fixed six-figure capital |
| Examination | Personnel and compliance | Balance-sheet weighted |
| Market | Domestic pool, policy-fed | Cross-border contested |
Regime
JapanFIEA registration
Other jurisdictionsLicence regimes
Entry
Japan¥5M deposit → ¥50M
Other jurisdictionsFixed six-figure capital
Examination
JapanPersonnel and compliance
Other jurisdictionsBalance-sheet weighted
Market
JapanDomestic pool, policy-fed
Other jurisdictionsCross-border contested
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | FSA - IM registration | ≈30% effective | ¥50M · QI route ¥10M |
 Singapore | MAS CMS licence | 17% + incentives | S$1M-S$5M base capital |
 Hong Kong | SFC Types 9/4/1 | 8.25%/16.5% · no CGT | HK$100k-HK$5M by model |
 Australia | ASIC AFSL | 30% · 25% base rate | NTA tiers by custody |
JapanLicense typeFSA - IM registration
Taxation≈30% effective
Requirements¥50M · QI route ¥10M
SingaporeLicense typeMAS CMS licence
Taxation17% + incentives
RequirementsS$1M-S$5M base capital
Hong KongLicense typeSFC Types 9/4/1
Taxation8.25%/16.5% · no CGT
RequirementsHK$100k-HK$5M by model
AustraliaLicense typeASIC AFSL
Taxation30% · 25% base rate
RequirementsNTA tiers by custody
Before you apply
Requirements for the Japanese registration.Requirements for registration.
The Bureau examines people and systems before yen. The checklist below is what a passing file contains.
01
Japanese entity. A stock company with a business office in Japan, built for the registration.
02
Capital by rung - ¥50 million for investment management, ¥10 million on the QI route, deposit-only for advisory.
03
The ¥5 million deposit. Lodged for advisory obligations where that is the route.
04
Qualified officers. Top management with provable expertise to run the business fairly.
05
Independent compliance. Staff separated from sales and investment divisions, named in the file.
06
Investment expertise. Personnel competent to make and supervise asset-management decisions.
07
Business plan. Strategy, clientele and projections the Bureau can walk through.
08
Books and systems. Accounting, risk, customer-information and complaint machinery documented.
09
Outsourcing control. Supervision arrangements for any delegated functions.
10
AML/CFT programme. Compliance with a named responsible officer.
11
Substance. A real Tokyo operation the Bureau can visit.
01
Japanese company, real office.
02
Capital per rung, sourced.
03
¥5M deposit for advisory.
04
Expert officers, examined.
05
Independent compliance.
06
Investment personnel proven.
07
Walkable business plan.
08
Books and risk systems.
09
Outsourcing supervised.
10
AML officer named.
11
Tokyo substance.
Reflects the FIEA and the FSA's registration guidebook as of 2026. Bureau consultations precede filing. We script them.FIEA + FSA guidebook, as of 2026.
How it works
From first call to the FIEA register.
01
The rung
Advisory, QI management or full management. Ambition and clientele set the rung, the rung sets the file.Ambition sets it.
02
Entity and bench
Japanese company, capital or deposit arranged, officers and compliance personnel secured.Capital and CVs.
03
Bureau consultation
Pre-filing dialogue with the Local Finance Bureau. The draft file tested before it is formal.Bureau pre-filing.
04
Registration examination
The formal file walked through. Personnel, systems and books line by line.Line-by-line pass.
05
Registered and live
Register entry, custody and banking live, first mandates onboarded. Managing Japanese money.Managing the pool.
Quick facts
RegulatorFSA · Local Finance Bureau
FrameworkFIEA
Investment management¥50,000,000
QI-restricted¥10,000,000
Advisory deposit¥5,000,000
Type II - funds¥10,000,000
Standard processing2 months + prep
Realistic timeline6-12 months
The Bureau's pre-filing consultation is the real examination. Files that arrive pre-answered register on the standard clock.
On the ground in Japan
Run from our Tokyo office.
Prifinance - Japan
Tokyo · Japan
Tokyo, Japan
01
Rung and entity
Advisory, QI or full management chosen on merit. The company and capital built to the rung.Chosen cold.
02
Bureau dialogue
Pre-filing consultations with the Local Finance Bureau scripted. The questions answered before they cost weeks.Pre-answered filing.
03
Compliance architecture
Independent compliance, books and risk machinery designed to walk-through standard.Walk-through ready.
04
Launch and mandates
Banking, custody and the first mandates sequenced with registration. Live in the pool.Mandates sequenced.
We also have offices in
Tallinn
Estonia
Roseni 13
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
Dubai
UAE
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Budapest
Hungary
Korányi Sándor u. 4
Good to know
Taxation of investment firms in Japan.
Full-rate corporate taxation in exchange for the deepest domestic pool in Asia. With mechanics that reward patience.
≈30% effective
National 23.2% plus local layers. The all-in corporate rate a Tokyo firm actually pays.23.2% national core.
Consumption tax exempts finance
Core financial services sit outside the 10% consumption tax. Fees are not padded by an indirect layer.No consumption pad.
Ten-year loss carry-forward
Build-out losses offset a decade of profits. The launch years are not wasted for tax.Launch years kept.
Treaties 70+
A deep network including every major capital exporter. Cross-border structures route with relief.Relief-routed flows.
No exit-hostile regime
Dividends and royalties flow under treaty rates. Group structures above the firm work conventionally.Treaty-rate dividends.
Incentive channels
Special zones and market-entry programmes soften establishment costs. Mapped per case at feasibility.Entry costs softened.
Tax summary
Corporate (effective)≈30%
National CIT23.2%
Consumption tax10% · finance exempt
Loss carry-forward10 years
Tax treaties70+
*Figures as of 2026 per the National Tax Agency. Local-layer and zone outcomes are modelled per structure.
Turnkey professional support
Experienced lawyers and international consultants.
We provide end-to-end support, from company registration and the application file to regulatory interaction and compliance oversight - with an individualized approach to each client.
Oleksii Kindratenko
Builds the application itself: Japanese company, AML/KYC policy pack, capital structure and tax registrations. His document sets are the reason reviews finish in months, not years.
Eugeniu Bevziuc
First point of contact for international founders. Runs the whole setup remotely, across time zones and languages - from the first call to a live, registered firm.
Follow Prifinance
Active across our channels.
Japan · FSA
Launch your investment firm in Japan with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from entity and compliance architecture to FIEA registration and first mandates - run through our Tokyo office.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is Japan the right fit for your project?
Our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.
Written assessment within 2-5 business days
Request a free conclusion →FAQ
The Japanese investment licence: frequent questions.
What registration does an investment manager need in Japan?+
Registration under the FIEA with the FSA through the competent Local Finance Bureau - Investment Management Business for discretionary mandates and funds, Investment Advisory and Agency for paid advice, Type II where fund interests are distributed.
What capital is required?+
¥50 million for full investment management; ¥10 million on the qualified-investor route; Type II at ¥10 million. Investment advisory carries no capital minimum - a ¥5 million security deposit stands behind the obligations instead.
What is the qualified-investor route?+
Investment management restricted to qualified investors registers at ¥10 million - a fifth of the full requirement - with obligations scaled to the clientele. It is the standard first rung for foreign managers building a Japanese book.
Can we test the market with advisory only?+
Yes - advisory registration needs no capital, only the ¥5 million deposit and a compliant operation. Many managers run advisory first, prove the clientele, then upgrade to management on an established relationship with the Bureau.
What does the examination focus on?+
People and systems: officers with provable expertise, compliance staff independent of the investment division, and books, risk and complaint machinery the Bureau walks through line by line. Capital is the smallest part of the file.
How long does registration take?+
Standard processing is measured in weeks once the formal file is complete - realistically 6-12 months end to end including pre-filing consultations, entity build and personnel. The consultation phase is where timelines are won.
Is English workable with the regulator?+
The FSA operates dedicated English-language market-entry support for foreign asset managers, and key guidance is published in English. Formal filings run in Japanese - we carry that layer.
How are Japanese investment firms taxed?+
Roughly 30% effective corporate tax (23.2% national core), consumption tax exempting financial services, ten-year loss carry-forward and a 70+ treaty network.
Japan or Singapore for the Asian book?+
Different prizes: Japan is the domestic pool - the region's largest household and institutional asset base, reachable only from inside; Singapore is the cross-border hub at 17%. Managers building for Japanese clients register in Tokyo. We model both.
Why Prifinance for Japan?+
The rung chosen on merit, Bureau consultations scripted, and compliance architecture built to walk-through standard - with the Japanese-language layer carried for you.
What registration?+
FIEA - IM or advisory.
Capital?+
¥50M · QI ¥10M.
Advisory?+
¥5M deposit only.
QI route?+
Fifth of the capital.
Focus?+
People and systems.
How long?+
6-12 months all-in.
English?+
FSA entry desk; we file JP.
Taxes?+
≈30%; losses 10 years.
Or Singapore?+
Domestic vs hub.
Why you?+
Scripted consultations.
Client notes
Google4.7★★★★★
Founders who wanted it done right.
Google4.7★★★★★
“As a software development crew at FewMoreTaps OÜ, we've had the pleasure of working with Prifinance on some key financial moves.First of all, navigating the world of corporate banking and finance can be a maze, but Prifinance made it feel like a walk in the park. They helped us set up a corporate bank account without the hassle of jumping on a plane or drowning in paperwork. Everything was done remotely, smoothly…”
Google
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Google
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Google
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Get a free legal opinion on your project - our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.Free legal opinion: which Japanese route fits your project and what it will cost.
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Prifinance is an independent law and advisory firm. We are not a regulator and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of FSA or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.