Sealed, Stamped, and Stuck: Six Documents Standing Between You and a Japanese Corporate Bank Account

You've filed your articles of incorporation. Your company legally exists. Now comes the step that quietly derails more Japan market entries than any incorporation issue: opening a corporate bank account.

Unlike the United States, where a business checking account can be opened in an afternoon with an EIN letter and a driver's license, Japanese banks conduct a formal review process that can take anywhere from two weeks to — in frustrating cases — several months. And the application package is unforgiving. Missing a single document means starting over. Here are the six items you cannot walk into a branch without.

1. The Riroku Nakagami (Certificate of Registered Company Information)

This is Japan's equivalent of a certificate of good standing, issued by the Legal Affairs Bureau and listing your company's registered address, directors, and capital. Banks check it line by line — your registered address must exactly match the address on your application. If you registered with a virtual office address that the bank considers a mere shell location, expect pushback. Order a fresh copy shortly before applying; banks prefer documents issued within the past three months.

2. The Inbo Torokusho (Seal Registration Certificate)

Here it is — the requirement that trips up nearly every American founder. Japanese companies operate with a hanko, a physical carved stamp that functions as your legal signature. Your representative hanko must be registered with the Legal Affairs Bureau, and the inbo torokusho is the certificate proving it.

You cannot buy a stamp at the airport and register it the same day. The hanko must meet size and material specifications, the registration must match your corporate registration exactly, and the representative director's name must align. Order your hanko from a reputable seal shop immediately after incorporation — this single step is the most common source of delay for foreign-owned companies.

3. Articles of Incorporation (Teikan)

Banks want to see your teikan to confirm your stated business purpose covers the activities you'll actually be conducting. If your articles say "software development" but you're applying for a merchant account to import goods, the compliance officer will notice. Keep your business purposes broad and, ideally, include the catch-all phrase Japanese lawyers routinely insert to cover ancillary activities.

4. Identification and Residence Documentation for the Representative Director

Every bank will require ID for the representative director — typically a residence card (zairyu card) for foreign nationals, and sometimes proof of registered address such as a utility bill or residence certificate (juminhyo). Non-resident directors complicate matters considerably: some banks will not open accounts for companies whose representative lives outside Japan. If your corporate structure includes a US-based director as representative, resolve this before applying, not after two rejected applications.

5. A Business Plan or Description of Operations

Post-2018 anti-money-laundering rules require banks to understand your actual business. Prepare a one-to-two-page document — in Japanese, or expect translation delays — describing your products or services, customers, expected transaction volumes, counterparties, and funding sources. A US parent company's financial statements may also be requested. Vague answers here are the second most common reason applications stall.

6. Proof of the Company's Physical Presence and Phone Line

This one catches people completely off guard. Many banks require evidence that your company has a real, reachable presence: a lease agreement for your office, a landline or verified mobile number registered to the company, and sometimes photographs of signage at your premises. A virtual office with mail forwarding will pass at some banks and fail at others. If you're working from a serviced office, get a written explanation of the arrangement ready in advance.

Which Banks Are Worth Your Time

Not all Japanese banks treat foreign founders equally. SMBC and MUFG have dedicated English-language support desks and are generally the most accessible of the megabanks, though their compliance reviews remain strict. Mizuho sits in the middle. Among regional banks, Sony Bank and several online institutions such as Rakuten Bank and GMO Aozora have built reputations as more accommodating to foreign-owned corporations, with digital application flows that reduce in-person friction.

A pragmatic strategy many US founders follow: apply first to a foreign-friendly online bank to get operational quickly, then apply to a megabank once you have transaction history. An existing account history dramatically improves your odds at the traditional banks.

Avoiding the Three-Month Trap

The founders who open accounts fastest share three habits. First, they order the hanko and its registration on day one after incorporation — not after the bank asks. Second, they prepare the business description in Japanese with a local advisor before the first branch visit. Third, they bring every original document plus copies, because Japanese banks do not accept "we'll email it later."

The Japanese banking system rewards preparation and punishes improvisation. Treat the account application like a visa application — complete, meticulous, and submitted once — and you'll be transacting in yen weeks, not months, after your incorporation date.