Japan

Cross-Border Resource Library

Country Information - Japan

In an effort to provide information on financial planning issues in Japan, FPA volunteers have gathered the following links together to point you towards a variety of different resources. 

Each link has a descriptive tag explaining what type of site the link goes to. The tags are:
• GOV for government or regulatory sites
• ORG for non-profit or association sites
• EDU for academic or educational sites
• COM for commercial sites, such as product providers 

Virtually all of the links lead off of FPA's Web site. To give feedback or suggestions on the Japanese information below, please click here.

Quality of Life - Local Flavor and Customs

• http://www.economist.com/countries/Japan/ (com)
• http://www.japantimes.co.jp/ (com)
• http://www.mofa.go.jp/ (gov)
• http://www.japanreference.com/ (com)

Health 

• http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english (gov)
• http://www.ldb.org/vl/geo/asia/3jpn.htm (org)

Social Security Coverage

• http://www.sia.go.jp/e/index.html (gov)
• http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/org/policy/p41.html (gov)

Education standards

• http://www.mext.go.jp/english/index.htm (gov)
• http://www.educationjapan.org/ (org)

Ex-pats opinions on quality of life

• http://www.expatexchange.net/expat/index.cfm?frmid=234&forumid=0&dbname=ee&shared=N (com)

Immigration Issues

Legal Residency

• http://www.kpic.or.jp/seikatu/pro-1.html (org)
• http://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/information/iic-01.html (gov)

Visas and immigration requirements

• http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html (gov)
• http://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/information/iic-01.html (gov)

Exchange Control

• http://www.meti.go.jp/english/report/data/g314001e.html (gov)
• http://www.wtcjapan.ne.jp/load.php?html=proce11_0&lang=US (com)

Cash management

Bank Accounts

• http://www.educationjapan.org/jguide/money.html (org)

Currency conversion

• http://www.xe.com/ucc/ (com)

Education Costs

• http://www.educationjapan.org/jguide/costs.html (org)

Cost of Living Analysis

• http://www.educationjapan.org/jguide/money.html (org)
• http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2202.html (com)

Housing issues

• http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2202.html (com)

Tax Planning 

• http://www.mof.go.jp/english/tax/tax.htm (gov)
• http://www.hp.jicpa.or.jp/english/ (org)
• http://www.mof.go.jp/english/tax/tax001/tax01.htm (gov)
• http://www.gtjapan.com/english/doing/200712_doing_b_j.pdf (com)

Determining Liability for Income and Gains Taxes

• http://www.nta.go.jp/taxanswer/english/gaikoku.htm (gov)
• http://www.mof.go.jp/english/zei/report/zc001a.htm#02 (gov)
• http://www.mof.go.jp/english/zei/report2/zc001b10.htm (gov)

Determining Liability for Estate Taxes

• http://www.mof.go.jp/english/zei/report2/zc001f06.htm (gov)
• http://www.mof.go.jp/english/tax/tax001/tax10.pdf (gov)

Exit Taxes and Final Tax Return

• http://www.jetro.org.au/sydney/invest/publi/pandc/yellow/M4.pdf (gov)
• http://www.nta.go.jp/taxanswer/english/12004.htm (gov)
• http://www.s-i-a.or.jp/english/qa/qa33.html (org)

Foreign Tax Credit Arrangements

• http://www.nta.go.jp/taxanswer/english/12006.htm (gov)

Local taxation of non-local pensions and investments

• http://www.jetro.org.au/sydney/invest/publi/pandc/yellow/M4.pdf (gov)

Investment Planning

Asset Allocation Viewed Globally

• http://www.fsa.go.jp/en/index.html (gov)
• http://www5.cao.go.jp/keizai/index-e.html (gov)
• http://www.kwrintl.com/fdiseminar/index.html (com)

Risk Management

Local Litigation Risks

• http://www.sonpo.or.jp/en/ (org)

Liability Insurance

• http://www.sonpo.or.jp/english/english.html (org)

Health Insurance

• http://www.sia.go.jp/e/index.html (gov)
• http://www.educationjapan.org/jguide/insurance.html (org)
• http://www.hataraku.metro.tokyo.jp/siryo/panfu/panfu49-2/pdf/8.pdf (gov)
• http://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/setting_up/laws/section4/page9.html (gov)

Property Insurance

• http://www.sonpo.or.jp/en/ (org)

Long-Term Care Insurance

• http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/elderly/care/index.html (gov)
• http://www.fukushihoken.metro.tokyo.jp/kourei/koho/pamphlet/files/eigo.pdf (gov)

Retirement Planning 

Local Pension Design and Tax Structure on Encashment

• http://www.sia.go.jp/e/index.html (gov)
• http://www1.mhlw.go.jp/english/wp_5/vol2/p2c10.html (gov)
• http://www.consular.australia.or.jp/jppension.html (gov)

Social Security Agreements between Countries

• http://www.sia.go.jp/e/ag.html (gov)
• http://www.sia.go.jp/e/index.html (gov)
• http://www1.mhlw.go.jp/houdou/1202/h0229-1_20.html (Jpn gov)
• http://www.jil.go.jp/english/laborinfo/library/documents/2003brief_0425.pdf (gov)

Transferability of Pensions

• http://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/setting_up/laws/section4/page9.html (gov)

Estate Planning and Succession Taxes

• http://www.mof.go.jp/english/tax/e021119a.htm (gov)
• http://www.mof.go.jp/english/tax/tax2003/tax2003_tr.htm (gov)
• http://www.gtjapan.com/english/doing/200712_doing_b_j.pdf (com)

Impact on Estate if there is no local Will

• http://www.nichibenren.or.jp/en

Creating an International Trust

• http://www.gtjapan.com/english/ps/newsletter/070718_Japan_Tax_Bulletin.pdf (com)

Local Regulation

• http://www.fsa.go.jp/en/index.html (gov)

Referrals to Local Planners

• Contact US representative for the Japan Association for Financial Planners, Suzue Sato, at suzue@jafp.or.jp for referrals.

FPA accepts no responsibility for due diligence or the quality of content on these pages.