JAPAN TAX RETURN / FOR FOREIGN EMPLOYEES & EXPATS
Your Japanese tax return,
handled end to end. In English.

Income over JPY 20 million, RSUs from an overseas parent, foreign tax credits, mid-year arrival or departure — a licensed Japanese tax accountant (zeirishi) with Big 4 experience prepares and files your return, working with you directly in English.

You talk to the person who does the work. No hand-offs.

Direct in English
no interpreter needed
Equity comp
RSU · ESPP · stock options
Refund claims
including after you leave
Big 4 background
the licensed accountant, personally
Ask for a quote →
The first consultation is free. Tell us your situation and we will confirm your filing category.
WHO NEEDS TO FILE

Year-end adjustment does not settle everything.

Your employer's nenmatsu chosei (year-end adjustment) closes most people's tax year. It cannot close yours if any of the following applies. In these cases you file your own income tax return in Japan.

Employment income over JPY 20 million

Above this level, year-end adjustment does not apply at all. You file a return regardless of anything else.

Equity compensation from an overseas parent

RSUs, ESPP, and stock options granted by a foreign parent company are generally paid outside Japan with no Japanese withholding, so payroll never settles them.

Salary from two or more payers

Only one employer can perform your year-end adjustment. The remaining income is settled through your own return.

Non-permanent resident with a remittance

If you are a non-permanent resident and remitted funds to Japan in a year you had foreign-source income, remittance taxation can bring that income into scope.

You arrived in or left Japan mid-year

Departure-year filing, quasi-final returns, and appointing a tax agent (nozei kanrinin) so you can file on the normal timeline after leaving.

You are owed a refund

Foreign tax credits, and tax withheld on salary or retirement payments made after you left Japan, are often recoverable through a refund return.

FLOW

How it works.

StepWhat you do
1Tell us about your employer, your equity compensation, your arrival dateOne e-mail
2We confirm your filing category (A / B / C), give you a quote, then engage with you directlyNothing
3We send you a document checklist in English, then collect what is neededSend documents
4We set up your e-Tax account — including if you have no My Number cardNothing
5We prepare your return, then e-file itNothing
6We explain how to pay, or when your refund arrives, in EnglishNothing
7A short briefing on what to plan for next yearNothing
If your HR team is arranging this: we contract directly with each employee, so your company does not need vendor registration, credit screening, or a purchasing workflow. HR introduces the employee and confirms completion — nothing else. Japanese-language details for HR are on our service page in Japanese.
DOCUMENTS

What we will ask you for.

Four items for everyone. The rest only if they apply to you. A My Number card is not required — we set up the e-Tax account for you.

Basic (everyone)
  • Residence card or passport
  • My Number (the card itself is not required)
  • Withholding slip (gensen choshu hyo) from your employer
  • Japanese bank account for any refund
Other income (if applicable)
  • Side business, self-employment, or rental income records
  • Annual transaction report from a Japanese brokerage (including foreign shares)
  • Dividend and interest statements
Equity compensation (if applicable)
  • Vesting and sale statements
  • Grant agreement, grant date, and vesting schedule
Foreign elements — Category B / C
  • Proof of foreign income and tax paid (Notice of Assessment, etc.)
  • Overseas assignment periods and workday records
  • Remittance records, and your home-country filing status
Deductions (if applicable)
  • Life and earthquake insurance premium certificates
  • Medical expense receipts, furusato nozei donation receipts
  • Social insurance, iDeCo, and dependent details
PRICING

Fees, by filing category.

TIER A
160,000JPY〜 (excl. tax)
Japan-sourced salary and domestic deductions only
  • What is included
  • Compiling employment income and preparing the return
  • Applying deductions (medical expenses, donations, etc.)
  • Electronic filing via e-Tax
  • Direct correspondence with you in English
  • Filed copy and payment or refund instructions
TIER B
200,000JPY〜 (excl. tax)
Foreign elements — foreign tax credit, overseas workday apportionment
  • Everything in Tier A, plus
  • Resident / non-resident determination
  • Foreign tax credit calculation
  • Apportionment of salary for overseas workdays
TIER C
300,000JPY〜 (excl. tax)
Complex cases — multiple countries, worldwide income
  • Everything in Tier B, plus
  • Worldwide income where you also file in the US
  • Coordination across multiple countries' tax systems
  • Case-by-case tax treaty analysis
  • Prior consultation with specialists

Equity compensation (RSU / ESPP / stock options) is quoted separately depending on the number of grants, vesting events, and sales. Filing requests made close to the deadline may carry an additional fee. Your actual category and fee are confirmed for your specific situation. Listed fees assume engagements of roughly ten or more employees; we do accept single individuals, and fees for smaller engagements are quoted individually.

EXPERTISE

Cross-border individual tax, in depth.

The licensed accountant who handles your case has a Big 4 background and works on these areas year-round — not as an occasional add-on to domestic practice.

Residency & treaties
  • Resident, non-permanent resident, and non-resident determination
  • Tax treaty application and the related filings
  • Remittance taxation for non-permanent residents
Equity compensation
  • RSU, ESPP, stock options, employee stock purchase plans
  • Grants from an overseas parent, with or without chargeback
  • Vesting and sale timing across a move into or out of Japan
Arrival & departure
  • Departure-year filing and quasi-final returns
  • Tax agent (nozei kanrinin) appointment — we can act as your agent
  • Exit tax (taxation on unrealised gains when leaving Japan)
  • Residence tax after departure, and refund claims
GUIDES

Read more on the rules behind your case.

Detailed English guides to the areas that most often decide a foreign employee's Japanese tax position.

FAQ

Questions we are actually asked.

Can a tax accountant file my Japanese tax return on my behalf?
Yes. Tax representation is a licensed monopoly of zeirishi in Japan. Our licensed accountant prepares and files your return, and can represent you before the tax office. The licensed accountant does the work personally — not only the initial call.
I have already left Japan. Can I still claim a refund?
In many cases, yes. Tax withheld on retirement payments or on salary paid after your departure can often be recovered by appointing a tax agent in Japan and filing a refund return. We can act as your tax agent, so you do not need someone in Japan to do this for you.
I don't have a My Number card. Is that a problem?
No. We set up your e-Tax account, so neither you nor your HR team needs to take extra steps for this.
My company wants to pay the fee. Is that possible?
The engagement and the invoice stay between you and our firm. If your employer wishes to bear the cost, the usual approach in Japan is a taxable allowance added to your salary. We can explain the details to your HR team in Japanese.
Do you handle the whole thing in English?
Yes — intake, the document checklist, every e-mail, filing, and the explanation of how to pay or when your refund arrives. We work in Japanese, English, and Chinese, so we can speak with your HR team in Japanese in parallel if that helps.
Where are you based? Do I need to visit an office?
No visit is required — we work online nationwide. Our offices are in Tokyo (Roppongi Hills Mori Tower 16F and Shinjuku), with an office in Shanghai.
Get in touch →
Tell us your situation and we will confirm your filing category and fee. No obligation.

▶ HR teams: the Japanese-language service page is here

General information as of 2026, not individual tax advice. Please contact us about your specific situation.