The Ultimate How to Start a Business in Japan Guide
Navigate the Article!
- (All 47 Prefectures… two every week in 2020!)
- What’s Inside
- JETRO, Special Strategic Zones, Startup Networks, Venture Firms… the help is there for entrepreneurs.
- Get the Help You Need When Starting a Business in Japan
- Help at the National Level for Entrepreneurs and SMEs in Japan
- Latest Posts
- Housing Repair and Maintenance Side Hustles in Japan
- Side Hustles Specific to Japan's Big Cities
- Side Hustles for Craftsmen and Craftswomen in Japan
(All 47 Prefectures… two every week in 2020!)
Have you dreamed of starting a business in Japan? Imagined yourself forging a new path for yourself beyond teaching, beyond recruiting, beyond software development? Or, perhaps you’d like to stick with your curent profession, but change your title from employee to employer… killer. Let’s do that together. Japan can feel intimidating when it comes to starting a business here as a non-Japanese resident. It doesn’t have to be that way. You can and should hang out your shingle here in this beautiful country if that’s what you want to do.
Do you want to help women get back to work after taking care of children (call me if that’s you… I’ve got some ideas), want to bring a taste of your country to these gorgeous shores? Or, start a manufacturing or software business? How about a consulting firm? The opportunities are endless and there is no reason why you can’t start this ball moving in 2020. This site is a work in progress, but it’s here to help you realize your goals. Let’s do that why don’t we? Ready? Read on…
What’s Inside

Help for SMEs and Solopreneurs in Japan?
From Hokkaido to Okinawa Japan has a wealth of resources designed to help you start a business in Japan. Here you’ll find public and private offices all in support of SMEs and solopreneurs throughout Japan.

The Right Tools for the Job
Whether you’re looking for office space, introductions to business partners, financing, or simply a direction as to where to file your paperwork, Japan’s regional SME support structure has the tools you’re looking for

Fail to Plan. Plan to Fail.
Starting a business in Japan is easier than you think. And, with the right motivation, the right plan, and the right help, 2020 is looking more and more like YOUR year. Join us, why don’t you?
JETRO, Special Strategic Zones, Startup Networks, Venture Firms… the help is there for entrepreneurs.
(Here’s where you’ll find them.)

Howdy, all, I’m Doc. I live in the beautiful port city of Kobe, JAPAN. I launched this site to help others interested in working with, or starting, a business Japan.
We all wear different hats, my job is to help you find the one that fits you best. Thanks for reading, and go get ’em!
Get the Help You Need When Starting a Business in Japan
(All 47 prefectures, rolled out two each week since June of 2020. Continually growing, continually updated.)
As Last updated: June 1, 2020
One of the most difficult questions to answer for non-Japanese wanting to start a business in Japan is where do I go for help? This problem is compounded when proficiency in Japanese is lacking or non-existent. It doesn’t have to be that way. There are resources. There are people and agencies that want to help you. I’m going to help you find them.
Hi, I’m Doc Kane
I live in Kobe with my wife and our giant adorable Huskie named Chiro.
Together we’re co-founders of Maplopo, an indie publishing company with the aim of helping introduce Japanese literature to the wider English-speaking world. To date, we’ve published works by DAZAI Osamu, SAKAGUCHI Ango, and NAKAJIMA Atsushi. We’ve got a lot more on the way.
We’re entrepreneurs, just like you. So let’s put our heads together and help one another out.
Oh, one last thing for now. I’m a one man show for the moment, so the sort of research you’ll find below takes time. That’s cool with me, as long as it’s cool with you. Because it’ll take awhile. In between my writing, teaching and consulting work, I aim to add at least two prefectural pages each week of the year in 2020. First, is my home prefecture of Hyogo, followed by Osaka. After that… the sky is the limit. Maybe Fukuoka? Fukui? Niigata? You tell me… reach out any time via email. I’m always here –> [email protected]
Cheers,
D
Prefecture | Kanji | Capital | Kanji | Region | Major Island |
Aichi | 愛知県 | Nagoya | 名古屋市 | Chūbu | Honshu |
Akita | 秋田県 | Akita | 秋田市 | Tōhoku | Honshu |
Aomori | 青森県 | Aomori | 青森市 | Tōhoku | Honshu |
Chiba | 千葉県 | Chiba | 千葉市 | Kantō | Honshu |
Ehime | 愛媛県 | Matsuyama | 松山市 | Shikoku | Shikoku |
Fukui | 福井県 | Fukui | 福井市 | Chūbu | Honshu |
Fukuoka | 福岡県 | Fukuoka | 福岡市 | Kyushu | Kyushu |
Fukushima | 福島県 | Fukushima | 福島市 | Tōhoku | Honshu |
Gifu | 岐阜県 | Gifu | 岐阜市 | Chūbu | Honshu |
Gunma | 群馬県 | Maebashi | 前橋市 | Kantō | Honshu |
Hiroshima | 広島県 | Hiroshima | 広島市 | Chūgoku | Honshu |
Hokkaido | 北海道 | Sapporo | 札幌市 | Hokkaido | Hokkaido |
Hyōgo | 兵庫県 | Kōbe | 神戸市 | Kansai | Honshu |
Ibaraki | 茨城県 | Mito | 水戸市 | Kantō | Honshu |
Ishikawa | 石川県 | Kanazawa | 金沢市 | Chūbu | Honshu |
Iwate | 岩手県 | Morioka | 盛岡市 | Tōhoku | Honshu |
Kagawa | 香川県 | Takamatsu | 高松市 | Shikoku | Shikoku |
Kagoshima | 鹿児島県 | Kagoshima | 鹿児島市 | Kyushu | Kyushu |
Kanagawa | 神奈川県 | Yokohama | 横浜市 | Kantō | Honshu |
Kōchi | 高知県 | Kōchi | 高知市 | Shikoku | Shikoku |
Kumamoto | 熊本県 | Kumamoto | 熊本市 | Kyushu | Kyushu |
Kyoto | 京都府 | Kyoto | 京都市 | Kansai | Honshu |
Mie | 三重県 | Tsu | 津市 | Kansai | Honshu |
Miyagi | 宮城県 | Sendai | 仙台市 | Tōhoku | Honshu |
Miyazaki | 宮崎県 | Miyazaki | 宮崎市 | Kyushu | Kyushu |
Nagano | 長野県 | Nagano | 長野市 | Chūbu | Honshu |
Nagasaki | 長崎県 | Nagasaki | 長崎市 | Kyushu | Kyushu |
Nara | 奈良県 | Nara | 奈良市 | Kansai | Honshu |
Niigata | 新潟県 | Niigata | 新潟市 | Chūbu | Honshu |
Ōita | 大分県 | Ōita | 大分市 | Kyushu | Kyushu |
Okayama | 岡山県 | Okayama | 岡山市 | Chūgoku | Honshu |
Okinawa | 沖縄県 | Naha | 那覇市 | Kyushu | Ryukyu Islands |
Osaka | 大阪府 | Ōsaka | 大阪市 | Kansai | Honshu |
Saga | 佐賀県 | Saga | 佐賀市 | Kyushu | Kyushu |
Saitama | 埼玉県 | Saitama | さいたま市 | Kantō | Honshu |
Shiga | 滋賀県 | Ōtsu | 大津市 | Kansai | Honshu |
Shimane | 島根県 | Matsue | 松江市 | Chūgoku | Honshu |
Shizuoka | 静岡県 | Shizuoka | 静岡市 | Chūbu | Honshu |
Tochigi | 栃木県 | Utsunomiya | 宇都宮市 | Kantō | Honshu |
Tokushima | 徳島県 | Tokushima | 徳島市 | Shikoku | Shikoku |
Tokyo | 東京都 | Shinjuku | 新宿区 | Kantō | Honshu |
Tottori | 鳥取県 | Tottori | 鳥取市 | Chūgoku | Honshu |
Toyama | 富山県 | Toyama | 富山市 | Chūbu | Honshu |
Wakayama | 和歌山県 | Wakayama | 和歌山市 | Kansai | Honshu |
Yamagata | 山形県 | Yamagata | 山形市 | Tōhoku | Honshu |
Yamaguchi | 山口県 | Yamaguchi | 山口市 | Chūgoku | Honshu |
Yamanashi | 山梨県 | Kōfu | 甲府市 | Chūbu | Honshu |
Help at the National Level for Entrepreneurs and SMEs in Japan
This section will start to develop beginning June 1st, 2020! Thanks for your patience!