Starting a Business in Japan? The Print Checklist Every Foreign Entrepreneur Needs
The seven printed essentials every foreign-founded company needs in Japan — from meishi to office signage to tax-compliant receipt books — and the order to do them in.
Founding a company in Japan as a foreigner involves a lot of paperwork — visa, GK or KK incorporation, tax registration, banking. But once those are done, there's a second phase that surprises most new founders: the printed essentials. Japan still runs on physical paper for many things, and arriving in a meeting without the right items signals 'not serious'. Here's the practical checklist, in the order most founders need them.
1. Business cards (meishi)
Get these printed within your first week of having a registered company name. You will exchange cards in literally every meeting. Get bilingual (English / Japanese) cards in Japan-standard 91×55mm size. Choose at least 220gsm matte or uncoated. Order 200 to start; you'll need more in a month.
2. Company seal (hanko/inkan) — not printed, but essential
Strictly not a print job, but mention because every founder asks: yes, you'll need a registered jitsu-in (real seal), a bank seal, and a daily-use kakuin. Get these from a hanko shop or via your administrative scrivener. We can recommend partners — message us on WhatsApp.
3. Office signage
If you have a registered office address (required for KK and most GK structures), Japanese commercial law typically expects a sign at the entry — your company name, in Japanese characters and ideally English. The sign doesn't need to be elaborate; a simple etched acrylic plate or printed PVC panel works. Coworking spaces and virtual offices may handle this for you.
4. Invoice templates (請求書 / seikyusho)
Japanese invoice format differs from Western. Required fields: company name with seal, customer name, invoice number, date, line items, subtotal, consumption tax (10% in 2026), total, your bank details, and the company seal impression. We design and print invoice booklets, or set up your accounting software with Japanese-compliant templates.
5. Brochures or capability statements
Critical for sales meetings. A 4-page A4 capability statement — what you do, who you serve, recent work, contact — handed alongside meishi at the second meeting onwards. Print 50–100 to start. Update twice a year.
6. Envelopes and letterhead
Japan still uses physical mail more than most Western countries. Bank correspondence, government forms, supplier invoices — they all show up in the post. Branded A4 and chokei-3 (long) envelopes plus letterhead are inexpensive and small but add up to a meaningful brand impression for clients seeing your mail.
7. Tax-compliant receipt books (領収書 / ryoshusho)
If you take cash payments — restaurants, retail, certain services — Japanese law requires a ryoshusho (receipt) on request. Pre-printed booklets with your company stamp area are cheap and standard. Even online-first businesses need a small stash for events and trade shows where cash sometimes appears.
Bilingual brand consistency
Plan your brand to live in two languages from day one. Pick a Japanese typeface (Noto Sans JP, Source Han Sans, or commercial Morisawa fonts) that visually pairs with your English typeface. Decide whether your logo has a Japanese form (logotype with kanji or katakana) or whether you keep the English logo on Japanese materials. Consistency matters more than language: a Japanese-only invoice with no English at all and an English-only website confuses everyone.
Recommended order and budget
- Week 1: Business cards (¥4,000–¥6,000 for 200 bilingual cards)
- Week 1–2: Hanko seals (¥10,000–¥30,000 from a hanko shop)
- Week 2: Office signage (¥8,000–¥30,000 depending on size)
- Week 3: Invoice booklets and ryoshusho (¥5,000–¥10,000)
- Week 4: Capability brochures (¥15,000–¥35,000 for 100 copies)
- Week 4–6: Letterhead and envelopes (¥10,000–¥20,000 for 200 sets)
Total budget for the foundational print kit: roughly ¥50,000–¥130,000 in the first 6 weeks. Bundle the order with us and we'll proof everything together for brand consistency, ship it in 2–3 batches, and have you fully kitted out within your first month of trading.
Ready to set up your founding print kit? Use our pricing configurator on the homepage to spec each piece, or message us on WhatsApp with your registered company name (kanji and English) — we'll come back with a complete quote and a 4-week delivery plan.
